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Spring sports won’t happen

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) Board of Control voted April 21, to cancel the 2020 spring sports regular-season competitions and state tournaments. The cancellations come in support of Gov. Tony Evers’ ongoing efforts to prevent, suppress and control the spread of the COVID-19 disease.

With the state’s Safer-at-Home order extended until May 26, with all public and private K-12 schools closed for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year (June 30), that prohibits all school extracurricular and athletic activities.

“We want to extend our sincere empathy and regrets, to all the student-athletes and coaches that have worked hard in anticipation of participating in sports this spring, particularly the seniors,” said WIAA executive director Dave Anderson. “The Board of Control and executive staff have been resolute in their hopes to preserve some chance to play one more time…” The cancellation of all extracurricular activities prohibits all school or coach involvement with training, practices, scrimmages and contests until, at the earliest, July 1, unless restrictions are removed prior to that time. Therefore, coaches may not bring students together or encourage students to assemble for extracurricular purposes, which includes competitions, practices, and all instructional and training until the restrictions on assembling in groups are removed.

All coaches are encouraged to continue to connect with their student-athletes with virtual organizational team meet-

See SPRING SPORTS/ Page 8 ings, and team building exercises by video or messaging as approved by school administration, to provide support for athletes.

“We share in the responsibility to assist in the efforts to control the spread of this virus,” said Anderson. “When the time is right, we will play again.”

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