Spring school sports shuttered, could return

Garth Meyer, Gazette Reporter | Mar 19, 20200

With high school sports shut down statewide from March 17 through April 24, what will happen over the next five weeks is on the mind of players, coaches and fans.

“We’re in uncharted territory right now,” said Ken Lindgren, athletic director, coach and teacher at Oakesdale, as well as the WIAA’s District Nine representative (Washington Interscholastic Activities Association).

Lindgren and the 12 other boardmembers were set to gather this Sunday for their regular March meeting in Renton.

“It was gonna be a short one,” Lindgren said, noting that, as of Monday, it had not been decided how it may proceed.

Spring sports practices ceased March 16.

“I feel for our spring sports kids,” Lindgren said. “You look at the NCAA, maybe those players will get their eligibility extended another year because of this. Our high school kids don’t have that... Not just athletically, FFA, music, spring concerts. Seniors are getting a month and a half ripped out of their school year, and for good reason.”

Spring sports practices began March 2, with a scattering of kids from various schools not yet reporting due to winter sports playoffs.

Now the spring competions are off, for now, as far as the organized element.

“Kids can play on their own,” said Lindgren. “I’m a P.E. teacher, I said, ‘You guys go and be active. Work on things you can work on your own.’”

If the shutdown is indeed lifted April 24, the WIAA may then proceed with the spring season – at that point, four weeks from the traditional state championships held over Memorial Day weekend.

“Do we try to bring it back? If we say, yeah, then how?” Lindgren said. “It’s all an unknown right now.”

One consideration will be practice requirements.

In a normal season, a student is required to get 10 practices in before they play in a game. Many of this spring’s athletes have that in already. So if the season starts at the end of April, would there be a renewed practice requirement – five weeks removed from the last practice?

While these questions are now front and center for the spring, they nearly cut into the end of winter sports basketball and wrestling.

Lindgren, as a WIAA executive, worked at the state 1B/2B basketball tournament in Spokane March 4-7. (He also was an assistant coach for the Oakesdale girls who finished second).

Was stopping the state basketball tournaments a possibility?

“It was being talked about,” said Lindgren. “We were in constant communication with the state department of health. It was out there. I don’t think I really thought it could shut down, but what if? What if? Could we have brought back the remaining of the state basketball tournament in the spring?”

ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

In Oakesdale, its one spring sport is track, with a few individual students going to Colfax for other sports not offered.

Colfax now has halted teams for baseball, softball, track and field and golf.

“As athletic directors, we’re sitting back and letting things shake out,” said Gina Hopkins, Colfax Junior-Senior High School athletic director. “In theory, it’s not cancelled, it’s postponed.”

She informed Colfax coaches soon after the directive came down last week from Gov. Inslee.

“No practices, I informed my spring coaches, they can’t meet with their athletes in person,” she said. “They luckily had not passed out equipment (uniforms) yet.”

Now they wait.

“Until we hear from the association (WIAA), for what our plan is, there really isn’t going to be anything new,” Hopkins said.

COACH

The Colton softball team would have played its first game today, March 19.

“I got my 10 practices in and they shut us down,” said Brad Nilson, the 13th year Wildcats coach, coming off a second-in-state 1B finish last year. “When Seattle shut down, I knew it was a matter of time. The rumor was once it comes back it would go straight to districts and on from there.”

The local season had started with first practices outside, on the field, a rarity, due to mild weather.

“We covered things we don’t normally cover ‘til gametime,” Nilson said.

Colton has two seniors on the roster after five graduated last year – multiple-year starters.

“My seniors, it’s their time to shine and we don’t have a season,” Nilson said, adding that he agrees with the shutdown of sports, especially for the travel it involves, exposing people from different areas to each other.

It reminded the coach of when he was a sophomore on the Colton baseball team in May 1980. The eruption of Mt. St. Helens took two weeks out of the season.

For now, whether the halt stays at five weeks, or goes longer or shorter, is yet to be seen.

“We just keep waiting to hear,” Nilson said.