Governor Recommends High School Sports be Put on Hold Until 2021

By

The Penn Wood Patriots Boys Basketball team from February 2020 as they advanced to the Final Four of the District One Playoffs,before the pandemic shut everything down. Image via William Penn School District Facebook page.

Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf wants high school sports suspended until January 2021 as long as the pandemic is a threat, writes Katie Meyer for whyy.org.

“The guidance is that we ought to avoid any congregate settings,” he said Aug. 6. “Anything that brings people together is going to help that virus get us.”

The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, which oversees middle and high school sports, was not thrilled.

“We are tremendously disappointed in this decision,” the group said in a statement. “Our member schools have worked diligently to develop health and safety plans to allow students the safe return to interscholastic athletics.”

State House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre), who strongly favors a return of high school sports, criticized the governor for making a unilateral recommendation with no warning after repeatedly saying that reopening decisions should be left to local school districts.

But Philadelphia Health Secretary Thomas Farley described it as a “wise move.”

“It’s a risk that I don’t think is worthwhile taking right now,” he said.

Gov. Wolf emphasized his statement was a recommendation, not an order or mandate.

His recommendation applies to all youth sports, school and non-school, team and individual.

Read more about Gov. Wolf’s statement here.

You Might Also Like                            

Organized Sports Practices Are Now OK in Delaware County, With Strict Health Guidelines

2 Delaware County Communities Wrestle With a History of Native American Sports Mascots

Haverford High’s Trey Blair Puts It All Out on the Field for His Team and School

Tags: , ,

Join Our Community

Never miss a Delaware County story!

"*" indicates required fields

Hidden
DT Yes
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Advertisement