Lower-risk high school winter sports start practice
The gymnasiums, tracks and pools at public high schools all across Long Island awakened on Monday after a nearly 10-month hiatus that was forced last March by the coronavirus pandemic.
It was the first permitted day of practice for winter sports deemed by New York State as low- or moderate-risk — girls gymnastics, boys swimming, indoor track and field, fencing and bowling — and the start of a most-unusual 2020-21 sports calendar in both Nassau and Suffolk counties.
"It feels good to be back," said Whitman junior and New York State Public High School Athletic Association indoor 300-meter track champion Gianna Paul. "It’s a little bittersweet since we know the season won’t be the same, but it’s nice to see everyone again."
Section VIII and Section XI, the governing bodies for public school sports in Nassau and Suffolk, respectively, decided in August that no sports would be played during the fall out of an abundance of caution. Instead, each came up with a plan to play three compressed seasons, each approximately 8-9 weeks long, from January to June. Winter sports will compete in January and February, fall sports in March and April and spring sports in May and June.
"It’s going to be a little different than previous seasons, but I think it’s going to be a good season," Plainview-Old Bethpage junior gymnast Payton Sack said.
There are no practices yet for boys and girls basketball, wrestling or competitive cheerleading, all deemed high-risk sports. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s administration has postponed the start of high-risk sports indefinitely; they will begin after the governor declares them safe and issues guidance on execution.
"I’m just really glad we’re getting back to some sort of normalcy for the kids," Section VIII executive director Pat Pizzarelli said. "This is a great first step and I think we’re all looking forward to the beginning of competition."
"We’re excited our student-athletes are back in school and getting the opportunity to play high school sports," Section XI executive director Tom Combs said. "The athletic directors have been working hard to ensure the safety protocols are met for our student-athletes, coaches and officials. Our hope is that everyone is prudent and follows the guidelines to get the COVID numbers down and keep everyone competing."
Varsity competition will begin in a week to 10 days, however the NYSPHSAA has canceled all of its winter championship tournaments and the Nassau and Suffolk seasons don’t sync up to make Long Island championship games a possibility.
At Long Island’s Catholic schools, low- and moderate-risk sports have been practicing since Nov. 30 — when they were permitted to begin practices statewide — and they are expected to begin competition this week. Catholic schools played low- and moderate-risk sports in the fall and completed their seasons successfully.
The CHSAA will now host four dual swimming meets each week at Chaminade to complete its league schedule before holding diocesan championships.
"We are attempting to have some form of a normal season for the kids, but what’s the alternative? Having nothing?" Chaminade boys swimming coach Angelo Pellicone said. "We’re so very fortunate that the school is letting the pool out as much as [it is] and everybody is willing to travel and do what is takes to have a season for the kids."
Though almost all the Long Island high schools are going to have sports this month, some of it could look very different from past years because of COVID-19 considerations.
The indoor track and field meets will be held outdoors. Gymnastics equipment will need to be disinfected between competitors, per state guidance. And spectators might be limited or not permitted, though many schools plan to stream contests so they can be viewed.
"It’s going to be a challenge, it definitely is, but we want this to work," Hauppauge boys swimming coach Rich Lionetti said. "We want this for the kids and we want it to work and it has to work and we are going to do everything we can to make it work."
In Section VIII boys swimming dual meets, each team will swim on one side of the pool instead of alternating lanes and student-athletes will be required to wear masks unless they are on the starting block or in the pool, according to section boys swimming coordinator Peter Hugo.
And some public school track and swimming meets will be held virtually, using the honor system. Each team will stage events and report their times to a neutral party — Hugo for example with Nassau public school swimming — or a website to determine the winning team.
Different as things might look, and as focused as the coaches, student-athletes and officials will have to be following COVID-19 protocols, the thirst for high school sports finally is being slaked.
"Even with everything going on, we still have the mindset everybody has to work hard, do what we can outside and inside the pool when we can," Chaminade senior and defending state Catholic 100-meter champion Nick Shopis said. "No one is really thinking ‘what if this happens [and] what if that happens?’ We have our eyes on [winning] the championship in February."
Gregg Sarra, Owen O’Brien and Jake Falk provided additional reporting for this story.
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
