MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota State High School League says it’s ready to start the winter sports season as soon as Dec. 21, but that decision is ultimately up to Gov.Tim Walz.
League officials held their December meeting on Thursday, where one of the main topics for discussion was a return-to-play plan for the winter high school sports season. In the latest COVID-19 restrictions laid out by Gov. Walz, high school and youth sports were put on pause Nov. 21.
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MSHSL says it’s ready to start winter sports Dec. 21
The Minnesota State High School League says it’s ready to start the winter sports season as soon as Dec. 21, but that decision is ultimately up to Gov.Tim Walz.
The four-week pause would end, if it isn’t extended, on Dec. 18. Winter sports teams would then be allowed to start practicing Dec. 21. Games could start as early as Jan. 4.
In the event Gov. Walz extends the COVID-19 restrictions through the holidays, MSHSL official are preparing for winter sports teams to start practices on either Jan. 4 or Jan. 18. League officials say they will be ready, and want to do everything they can to give winter athletes a season while also attempting to start 2021 spring sports on time.
Minneapolis North and Hall of Fame high school basketball coach Larry McKenzie described the current shutdown of youth sports as devastating.
"This pandemic has been really, really challenging for a lot of my kids," said McKenzie.
With gyms and community centers closed, McKenzie is meeting nightly with his team over Zoom for some virtual practices so they are ready to go once they get the green light.
"Absolutely, that’s the no. 1 question every single night, 'When can we get in the gym? When can we get in the gym?'" said McKenzie.
James Callahan skates for Benilde-St. Margaret’s powerhouse hockey team. Right now, there’s no ice to work out on, so he’s focused on individual skill building and training.
"It’s a little frustrating as a senior," said Callahan. "You want to play, but also understand and respect that’s going on. It’s not only us being affected."
Many fall sports teams had to cancel games and find new opponents on a weekly basis due to COVID-19 outbreaks among athletes and/or coaches.
MSHSL officials face several challenges with sports and COVID-19 in the winter, among them that that hockey, boys swimming and diving, basketball, wrestling and gymnastics are all held indoors. High school fall sports held indoors were not allowed to have more than two fans per athlete in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Modifications to the winter sports state tournament calendar were also up for discussion at Thursday's meeting, but no votes were taken. The MSHSL was in the middle of its winter state tournament season in March when many events had to be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The state hockey and wrestling tournaments had just finished, but girls' basketball was stopped before championship games and boys' basketball didn't get past the section playoffs.