High school athletes may still have a chance to compete this spring sports season, according to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association.
Mick Hoffman, executive director of the WIAA, provided a spring sports update via video message on Thursday evening with consideration to the recent extension of Gov. Jay Inslee’s stay home order now through May 4.
“As we navigate these uncharted waters, we are continually planning to provide some opportunity for kids this spring to compete,” Hoffman said.
Spring sports include baseball, boys and girls golf, boys soccer, softball, girls tennis and boys and girls track and field.
The WIAA’s current plans, based on a return to school by May 4, would allow the association to provide some type of culminating events, he said.
In an ideal world, it would look similar to past years, although that depends on the availability of facilities and officials.
“That is a very fluid process,” he said.
Hoffman previously said that if schools reopen at the conclusion of the six-week statewide school shutdown ordered by Gov. Jay Inslee (through April 24), then the state championships will go on as planned.
However, the Governor’s recent extension could put the entire spring sports season in jeopardy.
If schools return after May 4, the WIAA board and district directors have already started contingency planning for competitions in local areas or regionally, Hoffman said.
“Our goal is to give anybody that’s interested in competing, an opportunity to compete as they had planned,” he said. “Our ultimate goal is to provide every senior that senior game.”
To avoid conflict with scheduled high school graduations, the WIAA noted that state championships would not be postponed into June.
A blanket waiver will allow athletes to achieve the minimum 10 practices in five days, despite previously guidelines allowing athletes to accumulate only one practice per day.
The WIAA also noted it is up to local districts and leagues to determine how to qualify teams and individuals for the state championships.
On Thursday evening, Gov. Jay Inslee extended the statewide stay-home order through 11:59 p.m. May 4, saying it is proving to be an effective weapon in the war against the deadly coronavirus.
