CIF makes it official, cancels spring sporting events for the rest of the season due to Coronavirus concerns
By Kyle Foster
Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
It was nice while it lasted. Unfortunately, many spring sports athletes will be looking back on April 3rd as a day they’ll never forget.
In a much-anticipated move on Friday afternoon, the California Interscholastic Federation canceled the spring sports season due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.
The move comes after many districts shut down their schools for the remainder of the school year and started with distanced learning.
“Based on the recent statements issued by Governor Newsom and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, regarding schools turning to distance learning for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) does not see an avenue for the spring sports season to continue,” CIF executive director Ron Nocetti said in a media release. “As such, in consultation today with the 10 Section Commissioners, the decision has been made to cancel spring Section, Regional, and State Championship events.”
This marks the end of the spring sports season for a large array of seniors in Napa. A total of 27 seniors between baseball and softball in Napa have suited up for the final time in their high school careers.
“We understand this is disappointing for everyone involved in education-based athletics and empathize with our student-athletes and all who are impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak,” the release added. “As always, our top priority is everyone’s ongoing health and safety during this challenging time, and we all look forward to the day when education-based athletics resumes.”
It is not yet immediately know how the COVID-19 pandemic will effect fall sports like football, which was supposed to begin unofficial workouts at the end of May, with summer workouts beginning in June. The official start date for football in the CIF North Coast Section is August 10th.
It just sucks it had to end like this.
