Coronavirus cancels 2021 Winter State Championships, postpones high risk sports

NEW YORK STATE — Looking into the latest news regarding the status of the 2021 winter sports season, the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) announced in December that all 2021 Winter State Championships — including basketball, competitive cheerleading, indoor track and field and wrestling — have been canceled to ensure the safety of student athletes, coaches and families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Likewise, NYSPHSAA announced that all high risk sports will be postponed until state officials give the OK.

It was just this past November that NYSPHSAA announced that the start date for this year’s high risk winter sports would be postponed to Monday, Jan. 4, to minimize risk and exposure to COVID-19. Following the announcement, administrators in Harlem Valley school districts discussed how the season would pan out in their respective districts. Webutuck High School in Amenia, Stissing Mountain Junior/Senior High School in Pine Plains and Millbrook High School are all NYSPHSAA members. They also assessed their available low and moderate risk sports options for students, as the association previously determined that low and moderate risk sports — such as indoor track and field, gymnastics, swimming and diving and skiing (not all of which are offered locally) — were permitted to begin on Nov. 30 for schools and sections that determined it “feasible to host interscholastic events at that time.”

NYSPHSAA announced its decision in December regarding the 2021 Winter State Championships and high-risk sports. It stated in a press release its decision to cancel the championships addressed concerns regarding increased travel, hotel accommodations, meal planning and transportation logistics during the pandemic, as well as how venue capacity limitations and social distancing restrictions make it “increasingly difficult” to ensure the safety of students, coaches and families.

Meanwhile, the decision to postpone all high risk sports was based on concerns with the increase in both infection and hospitalization rates across New York State. In addition to basketball, competitive cheerleading and wrestling, boys lacrosse, ice hockey, football, volleyball and wrestling are among the sports that were declared high risk by the New York State Department of Health.

“As an educator, I am witnessing first-hand the challenges our member schools are facing each day in addressing this pandemic,” stated NYSPHSAA President Julie Bergman. 

At this time, the 2021 NYSPHSAA Spring State Championships remain scheduled and both low and moderate risk regular sports seasons continue to be permitted. 

The Webutuck varsity girls basketball team was well-matched when it competed against Ellenville in one of the home games held in the Webutuck High School gymnasium during the 2019-20 winter sports season. Archive photo by Kaitlin Lyle

The Pine Plains varsity boys basketball team faced off against Millbrook in the Stissing Mountain High School gymnasium in a home game held during the 2019-20 winter sports season. Archive photo by Kaitlin Lyle

The Webutuck varsity girls basketball team was well-matched when it competed against Ellenville in one of the home games held in the Webutuck High School gymnasium during the 2019-20 winter sports season. Archive photo by Kaitlin Lyle

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