LHSAA ends sports season

Louisiana high school seniors will have few memories of their final spring sports seasons, and no championships to play for after the Louisiana High School Athletic Association announced the inevitable on Thursday that the 2019-20 sports season is prematurely over as a safeguard against the coronavirus pandemic.

American Press

What had long been speculated by coaches and players throughout the state was confirmed Thursday.

The Louisiana High School Athletic Association canceled the remainder of the winter sports season and all spring sports for the 2019-2020 school year because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The LHSAA shut down its sports after the Marsh Madness state boys basketball tournament ended on March 14 because of Gov. John Bel Edwards’ stay-at-home order designed to limit the spread of the virus.

As of Thursday, more than 18,000 people in the state have been confirmed having contracted COVID-19, and 702 have died, according to health department statistics.

Edwards said on Thursday that he was in favor of keeping K-12 public schools closed for the rest of the school year, which extends into mid-May or later, after listening to requests from the state’s education leaders.

On Wednesday the Louisiana Association of State Superintendents asked Edwards to cancel the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. LHSAA Executive Director Eddie Bonine said in a news release last week that no sports would restart until schools were reopened.

“Yesterday, April 8, the Louisiana Association of Superintendents submitted a written request to our Governor to keep school facility closures in place the remainder of the school year,” Bonine said in Thursday’s news release. “Since that announcement, and due to the severity of the virus and its spread, the continued uncertainty of circumstances surrounding our membership, their facilities, coupled with the importance of protecting the health and safety of our athletes, their families, potential spectators, coaches and game officials, the LHSAA Executive Committee, on recommendation from this office and its staff, approved the cancellation of all remaining 2019-2020 win sports championships, as well as all spring sports regular seasons and those respective spring sports championships.”

The governor’s stay-at-home edict remains in effect at least until April 30.

Barbe softball head coach Candyce Carter said she and her team had been holding out hope that the season would resume late in the summer. The Bucs were off to a 13-3 start.

“I have been FaceTiming them all morning, trying to reach out to them as much as possible,” Carter said. “I am still in shock.

“We all knew it was a possibility. I definitely had hope. Having it put into perspective, having it over is devastating. My heart is absolutely broken for my seniors and all seniors having their senior season taken away. They don’t get any closure, a senior night or to compete for a state championship again. To some people, sports can seem small in the grand scheme of things, but for these kids sports is everything. Right now, this is a big thing.”

But Carter added that she understands the LHSAA decision.

“They have tried to hold out as long as they could,” Carter said. “We got emails consistently from Mr. Bonine, and I really appreciate him for that, trying their best to make it work.

“I want to believe that they did everything in their power to give these kids their season. They made the decision that was best for the student-athletes and community, and I have to respect that decision. That decision was not easy for them to come to. We are all just shell-shocked and trying to comfort our players.”

Sulphur High School baseball head coach Sam Moore, who’s team was off to a 10-4 start, said he feels for the seniors on his team but understands the LHSAA had to make a difficult decision.

“I am very disappointed, especially for our nine seniors,” Moore said. “I understand the safety aspect.

“It is something that we will have to work on and persevere together. We are still taking it day by day. We will continue to help our seniors in any way possible. When we get the all-clear, we will throw the guys a very congratulatory send off and banquet to honor those guys. I am all for us playing, but I just want to be here for our seniors now.”

Bonine said the LHSAA is still discussing what to do about summer activities for all sports and fall sports.

“In closing, moving forward, I, along with the designated LHSAA staff and the LHSAA Executive Committee, will discuss potential permissive summer activities and/or make proactive plans for ‘if’ the virus affects opening of schools and potentially the beginning of LHSAA-sanctioned fall sports seasons for 2020-2021,” Bonine said.