© 2024 Wyoming Public Media
800-729-5897 | 307-766-4240
Wyoming Public Media is a service of the University of Wyoming
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Transmission & Streaming Disruptions

Spring High School Sports Seasons Canceled

Wyoming High School Activities Association

The Wyoming High School Activities Association (WHSAA) announced it is canceling spring sports this year.

The 3A/4A high school state basketball tournaments were canceled back in March. Now, WHSAA is furthering cancelations, which will affect outdoor track and field, soccer, golf and tennis.

Activities Association Commissioner Ron Laird said there likely wouldn't have been enough time for the number of required practices before games start, and then there could only be a few weeks of games before school ended.

"Communities that are the hot spots, a lot of those same communities are the ones that were scheduled to host our events. So there was no assurance that we'd even be able, even if we tried to come back, that we'd be able to host anything anywhere in the state," he added.

Laird said there's likely to be many disappointed high school athletes around the state.

"I was a coach for 26 years, I know what these sports mean to these kids. I understand where they're at and the disappointment," he said. "I hope they'll be able to step back and realize they are helping our state and helping people remain healthy by making the sacrifices that they are making at this time," he said.

WHSAA is hoping to still be able to recognize senior athletes around the state who would have had their last seasons this spring.

"We're going to look at trying to come up with a senior recognition you know through social media and maybe try, if I can get statewide media would be able to be included, to get some things posted on the different kids throughout the state," Laird said.

He added that many communities are already planning ways to support their seniors in the wake of school closures and sports cancelations.

The state's high school activities may have more flexibility than sports. Laird said state competitions like Future Business Leaders of America or speech are able to take place virtually.

"State speech was at the exact time of 3A/4A basketball, and so we canceled that at that time as well. Towards the end of April, they'll have an online state speech meet," he said.

Laird said WHSAA's board of directors will look to see if fall sports will be impacted if closures were to continue and monitor any adjustments that would have to be made.

Have a question about this story? Contact the reporter, Catherine Wheeler, at cwheel11@uwyo.edu.

Catherine Wheeler comes to Wyoming from Kansas City, Missouri. She has worked at public media stations in Missouri and on the Vox podcast "Today, Explained." Catherine graduated from Fort Lewis College with a BA in English. She recently received her master in journalism from the University of Missouri. Catherine enjoys cooking, looming, reading and the outdoors.
Related Content