STEVENS POINT, WI (WSAU) – The Stevens Point Area School District will suspend all fall sports and extracurricular activities.
The district announced Thursday that fall sports will be moved to the spring. The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association, which oversees high school sports in the state, has given schools the option of a spring season for football, boys soccer, volleyball, and other sports listed as “high risk” because of COVID-19.
The district says the decision covers “any and all extracurricular before and after-school activities, practices, competitions, and events.” Activities that are not governed by the WIAA will be assessed on a month by month basis.
Superintendent Craig Gerlach said the district made the decision separate from the other schools in the Wisconsin Valley Conference. “This is an individual decision made by Stevens Point. The other Valley schools intend on moving forward with athletics.”
He says student and staff health and safety was the biggest factor in making the call, but the district is also hoping that by limiting interactions they can get students back into a traditional classroom setting quickly.
He adds that with issues such as a shortage of substitute teachers and bus drivers, the district is just one small outbreak away from having to shut down operations.
Gerlach also called on parents and students to be understanding about the decision, which wasn’t made lightly. “In my 22-year experience as superintendent of schools, I can say this is the most difficult decision I have made. I understand the impact on students and families, it can be devastating. I understand that people are going to be disappointed, frustrated, and quite frankly angry,” he added.
Stevens Point is the first school within the Wisconsin Valley Conference to opt to move fall sports to the spring. Earlier this week the Wausau Board of Education voted to attempt to play in the fall.
Even if the school district decided to push forward with fall sports, they would have needed an alternate site for their high school football games. The Stevens Point City Council has voted to keep Georke Field closed for the fall. UW-Stevens Point, SPASH, and Pacelli all use the field for their home games. SPASH also does not have access to the KB Willit Ice Arena for the same reasons.
UWSP will not have a fall football season after the WIAC voted to suspend all fall competition earlier this spring.
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