NY Football, Volleyball, Cheerleading Pushed Back To 2021

NEW YORK — The governing body of New York high school sports announced Wednesday that football, volleyball and cheerleading were all being pushed back to 2021 — ending those sports for the rest of the year before they could even begin.

Originally, the fall season of high school sports was delayed until Sept. 21 by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA). But football, volleyball and cheerleading are considered high-risk activities and were delayed even further.

“We’ve spent two days speaking with nearly 500 athletic directors across the state and it’s clear that administering high-risk fall sports during the COVID-19 pandemic presents a significant challenge for our member schools,” said Dr. Robert Zayas, NYSPHSAA's executive director. “These are unprecedented times and unfortunately, difficult decisions will have to be made to address this ongoing crisis. We continue to stay committed to providing support to our member schools and quality participation experiences for the students we serve.”

The sports are not canceled entirely. They will take place in the "Fall Sports Season II," and may begin practices March 1. Because of these sports being delayed, the start of the spring sports season was also pushed back to April 19 from its original start date of March 15.

Low-risk fall sports — which includes girls tennis, cross country, girls swimming/diving, boys soccer, girls soccer and field hockey — are still scheduled to begin Sept. 21.

Last month, Nassau County canceled all sports for 2020 and pushed back the fall season to 2021. After a quick and massive outcry, it said it would reconsider that decision. It has not yet made a new announcement.

“The NYSPHSAA officers have determined it would be unrealistic to host football, volleyball and competitive cheer seasons this fall,” said Julie Bergman, NYSPHSAA's president. “This continues to be the most challenging situation educators have ever addressed. I, along with my fellow officers, believe the participation experiences for football, volleyball and competitive cheer athletes will be more beneficial in the spring than in the fall.”