Gov. Tom Wolf suggests no youth sports until Jan. 1

By JOSE NEGRON

jnegron@yourmvi.com

The PIAA Board of Directors will meet today to discuss Gov. Tom Wolf’s recommendation to postpone youth sports until Jan. 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wolf made the strong recommendation Thursday. 

His statement could put the fall sports season in jeopardy before it even begins. Heat acclimation for high school football is scheduled to begin Monday, while other fall sports are set to begin practice Aug. 17. 

“The guidance is we ought to avoid any congregate settings, and that means anything that brings people together is going to help that virus get us,” Wolf said at the end of a press conference on the pandemic Thursday morning. “We ought to do everything we can to defeat that virus. Any time we get together for any reason, that is a problem because it makes it easier for that virus to spread. 

“The guidance from us, the recommendation, is we don’t do any sports until Jan. 1.” 

The state departments of health and education released a joint statement just before 3:30 p.m. Thursday, providing an official recommendation of postponement. 

“The administration is providing this strong recommendation and not an order or mandate,” the statement reads. “As with deciding whether students should return to in-person classes, remote learning or a blend of the two this fall, school administrators and locally elected school boards should make decisions on sports.”

The recommendation applies to team and individual, school and non-school recreational youth sports and does not affect collegiate and professional sports. 

While it suggests a pause to competitions, intramural play and scrimmages, teams would be able to continue conditioning, drills and other training activities. 

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