The 2019-2020 high school sports year in Kentucky is now officially over, and there will be no resumption of the Girls’ Sweet 16 nor a start to the Boys’ Sweet 16. In an announcement Tuesday, the Kentucky High School Athletic Association made the formal announcement ending the fading hopes of high school athletes across the Commonwealth.
The Girls’ Sweet 16 was suspended after the first game of the second day of the tournament, while the boys’ tournament never got underway.
In the statement, the KHSAA said that “with the announcement yesterday of the recommended closure of all K-12 schools to in-person instruction throughout Kentucky for the remainder of the school year, the KHSAA Board of Control today approved the Commissioner’s recommendation and announcement by unanimous vote that the 2020 state basketball tournaments will not be resumed, while also approving the cancellation of all regular-season practices and contests as well as all postseason tournament championship events for all spring sports and sport-activities for the 2019-20 school year.”
“This means the termination of the Archery, Bass Fishing, Esports, Baseball, Softball, Tennis, and Track & Field seasons. This will also result in the continuance of all provisions of the Coronavirus Dead Period provisions until further notice to the member schools from the Commissioner.”
Commissioner Julian Tackett added that the KHSAA had “until this point purposely taken a measured approach to the resumption of our basketball events and consideration of the ending of the spring seasons for sports and sport-activities. We have accepted continual guidance from a variety of sources, and have steadfastly held on to hope that the great student-athletes who represent their schools through a variety of teams would have an opportunity to compete this season.”
Tackett further went on to say “this is without question the most challenging period I have seen or faced in thirty-six years in this office. This impacts so many people, but in the end, is in the best interest of public health. We have been especially concerned with the graduating class of 2020, those seniors who put so much into their athletic participation opportunities hoping for one last time to shine before the home crowds or at postseason events. We know for the vast majority of them, their future plans are already laid out, with college and career final preparation as their next chapter. We are also keenly aware that per almost all metrics, 94% of the students who participate in high school sports and sport-activities are involved in their last organized competition while in high school, as the lion’s share of participants will not play beyond this level. In the end, however, the health and safety of all individuals, participants, coaches, and spectators, is much more important than the various interscholastic activities.”
As for the impact of the final decision, Tackett added “everyone involved in school-based athletics in our Commonwealth has been impacted. We as a staff and Board have talked every day about the students and families, coaches, administrators, officials, and fans who lost a non-recoverable portion of their lives, particularly our seniors. Corporate partners and others, while continuing to be fantastic supporters of the KHSAA and almost all agreeing to continue their full support of the Association and its events during these financially catastrophic times, also missed out on great opportunities. And our venues and their employees were also tremendously fiscally and personally impacted. There were, and are, no winners in this situation and these decisions.”
With the spring officially ended, everyone’s attention will now turn to what happens in the fall. In his statement, Tackett noted that the KHSAA will “continue to communicate with member school Principals, Athletic Directors and Superintendents as we navigate the various stages and phases of resuming sports and sport-activities for the fall. The current virus dead period provisions will remain in place until, at the very least, we as a Commonwealth are cleared to be considered into Phase 1 of the Federal and State guidelines. Before that time, staff will advise our member schools as to any changes to the restrictions moving forward. There is also no plan at this time to alter, in any way, the Bylaw 24 Dead Periods for the coming or specific restrictions on organized activity in football and basketball that is also contained in that bylaw.”
Tackett went on to add “it is far too early in this process and battle against this virus to place an absolute planned schedule or dates out there. We remain optimistic about the fall season, even if it isn’t exactly per normal, but we will adhere to the guidance of both federal and state health officials, as well as our own Department of Education and the Governor’s office in planning our next steps in the coming weeks and months.”
The Board and staff will continue discussions over the coming weeks to attempt to address issues related to the fall season.
