Sports
Spring Sports Postponed, Not Canceled For Connecticut Schools
Concerns over spread of the coronavirus have prompted CIAC officials to postpone the start of the spring sports season indefinitely.
CONNECTICUT — Following an online meeting with nearly 70 school, athletic and governmental leaders Wednesday morning, officials of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) "reached a consensus that canceling the entirety of the spring sports season is premature at this time," according to a media release from the organization.
No timeframe for the beginning of spring play has yet been established, as "any plan for spring sports will need to adhere to the guidelines from the Governor’s office, Department of Education and health experts," according to the release.
"These are unprecedented challenges for our schools, and it is of the utmost importance that we provide answers and a structure to support our membership and maintain the possibility of a spring sports experience for our student-athletes," CAS-CIAC Executive Director Glenn Lungarini said. "CIAC understands the value of providing students a spring sports experience, if possible. However, the health and safety of our communities must remain at the center of our decision making."
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In a media conference early Wednesday afternoon, Lungarini said the CIAC "is assuming we will not be having a full season," as schools are closed through at least March 31 by order of Gov. Ned Lamont.
Of the 67 participants in the morning conference, Lungarini said there was "no sentiment from anyone to cancel the season."
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On March 10, the CIAC canceled the remainder of its winter state tournaments, some of which were already in progress and others which had not yet commenced.
Cancellation of the spring sports season has been implemented by many college athletic conferences, including the Ivy League, the Northeast 10 Conference and the New England Small College Athletic Conference. The National Hockey League and National Basketball Association have placed their seasons on hiatus, while Major League Baseball is delaying the start of its season.
A video of this afternoon's media conference may be found below.
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