The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) decided to delay the fall sports season to Sept. 21 and cancel the 2020 fall state regionals and championships at the recommendation of its COVID-19 Task Force.
The NYSPHSAA followed many athletic associations across the country in delaying the start of the fall season, which was set to begin on Aug. 24.
The association, which oversees interscholastic sports in New York state, also voted to:
- Waive the seven-day practice rule;
- Maintain current practice requirements;
- Encourage geographic scheduling for games & contests; and
- Allow schools the option to offer off-season conditioning workouts, if permitted by state officials.
Condensed seasons
The NYSPHSAA has developed plans for condensed seasons starting in January 2021, if athletics are prohibited for the remainder of 2020.
The condensed schedule is as follows:
- Winter season — Jan. 4 to March 13
- Fall sports — March 1 to May 8
- Spring sports — April 5 to June 12
Under the condensed plan, each season would run for 10 weeks. The spring season would end by mid-June to accommodate the Regents exam schedule and graduations.
As of now, interscholastic athletics remains prohibited across the state based on state Department of Health guidelines. The start dates listed above are tentative. All decisions regarding a return to interscholastic sports require the approval of the New York State Department of Health and the New York State Education Department.