Upload a Photo Upload a Video Add a News article Write a Blog Add a Comment
MessageReportBlock
Blog Feed News Feed Video Feed All Feeds
 

Folders

Featured (118)
Misc News (1233)
All (388)
All (4446)
 

 

IHSA Cancels Illinois State Track Meet for 2020 Season

Published by
ILXCTF - Mike Newman   Apr 21st 2020, 7:58pm
Comments

IHSA Cancels Illinois State Track Meet for 2020 Season

 

By Michael Newman

[email protected]

 

The IHSA Board of Directors met via video conference call on Tuesday and confirmed what all of us knew was coming. It was announced that the IHSA State Track & Field Championships scheduled to be held at the end of May would be cancelled for the 2020 season due to the Corona Virus COVI-19 Pandemic that has hit the world.

 

IHSA FULL STATEMENT OF APRIL 21, 2020

 

“We support the decision by Governor Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education, and given the logistics, we simply felt we could not conduct state tournaments that meet the expectations of our member schools this spring, " said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. "As disappointing as it may be for students, it is the right decision for their health and safety, as well as for the health and safety of the general public, as we cope with this unprecedented pandemic."

 

The IHSA left open the possibility of school sponsored track meets. They did state that that summer contact days are suspended for the season until state government and medical leaders indicate such gatherings are safe. At that time, the Board of Directors indicated a willingness to reconsider how summer contact might be conducted and whether opportunities for schools to conduct some kind of spring athletic events might occur.

 

“Once it is determined safe to return, we will provide a detailed outline to our schools on the plan for summer contact days and possibly some kind of spring athletic events," said Anderson. "Including if the number of days and dates that coaches can meet with athletes has been altered. At this point, though, all that is dependent upon state government and medical leaders giving the go ahead for such."

 

The use of virtual meets and competitions will be allowed according to Kraig Garber, the IHSA Assistant Executive Director in charge of Cross Country and Track & Field. He stated that virtual competitions could be an option but could not be organized by schools.

In a reply to an email, Garber stated:

“Under the current circumstances, our position is that student athletes should follow the governor's guidelines. With that being said, we are not tracking student activity during this restricted time. If students take part in non-school virtual meets or competitions, we will not be imposing sanctions on them for doing so.  However, schools should not be organizing competitions of any type. If high school coaches want to provide ideas as to things that athletes can do at home on their own to train, then that is fine, but they should not be organizing any interscholastic virtual meets.”

 

Athletic.Net announced on April 17 the development of AthleticAPP that will allow coaches and athletes the ability to compete in virtual meets.

You can find more information here on how this works on Athletic.Net

 

It is a sad end for the seniors in the Class of 2020 that will not be able to run one last race with their teammates. If social restrictions are lifted when it gets safe to do so, maybe those seniors will get that one last chance.

 

More news

History for ILXCTF - Mike Newman
YearVideosNewsPhotosBlogs
2024 558 22    
2023 1035 171    
2022 1049 193    
Show 11 more