High School Spring Sports Season “Indefinitely Suspended” In Montana
The Montana High School Association executive board voted to “indefinitely suspend until further notice” all high school spring sports in Montana due to the recent spread of Covid-19, also known as Coronavirus, during a conference call meeting of the MHSA executive board Monday, March 16.
“This includes practices and contests/meets/festivals,” said a press release from MHSA. “The executive board will reevaluate this situation on April 13 and any additional information regarding spring activities will be provided as it becomes available.”
Wolf Point, Poplar, Frazer, Lustre and other schools have been scheduled to open the track and field season at the Glasgow Invitational Saturday, March 28. Tennis and golf were to start later. All teams had practicing since early March.
The MHSA has been in contact with state and federal public health officials and has consulted other states. Seasons are canceled in some states and shortened in others.
“All MHSA spring activities will be indefinitely suspended until further notice,” MHSA executive director Mark Beckman said in a prepared statement.
“If spring activities are resumed, the practice requirement for sports at that time will be five practices from resumption except for golf which will be the normal two practices required,” he said.
“Postseason formats will be adjusted by conferences as necessary with MHSA approval,” Beckman said.
“[The MHSA] will reevaluate on April 13,” Wolf Point High School activities director Cody Larson said.
“I kind of thought this might be coming with everything shutting down,” he said. “Bottom line for everyone is the health and safety of students,” Larson said.
“Although our students and coaching staff are disappointed about the status of the spring sports season, we are also thankful that the MHSA organization is taking this health epidemic seriously,” Poplar High School activities director Coy Weeks said.
“I am proud our leaders are taking extreme precaution and have our children’s welfare of this great state as the total priority going forward,” he said.
