By JEREMY SELLEW
[email protected]
WPIAL Executive Director Amy Scheuneman had a defiant tone Monday during a press conference outside WPIAL headquarters in Green Tree, signaling to member schools and student athletes that the WPIAL has their backs as they push to get back on the fields of play this fall.
The WPIAL called the press conference in response to Gov. Wolf’s “strong recommendation” last week that sports be delayed until Jan. 1.
“The WPIAL’s response to the governor’s comments and ensuing document is one of frustration due to the uncalculated, inconsistent and unfair approach of this guidance,” Scheuneman said. “It’s uncalculated because health data does not show a significant increase in adolescent athletes as reported by the Allegheny County Health Department just last week. But more importantly, what is not being calculated into this decision are the negative and adverse health risks involved with not allowing sports to continue. Health risks such as isolation, depression, anxiety, obesity and social losses from lack of teamwork, incentive to go to school and do well in class, providing an outlet to relieve stress, feel included, providing hope, working towards goals, overcoming adversity and the list can go on and on.
“It’s inconsistent because there’s no such ‘strong recommendation’ to not have school operate in person and/or in a hybrid model – which would cause for more adolescent risk of COVID due to the much higher number of individuals gathered in and passing through indoor spaces.
“And it is unfair because on June 10 the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the department of health provided schools the opportunity to restart athletics with the approval of an athletic health and safety plan. And without justification or validation, those same organizations made a strong recommendation that sports not be played until at the earliest Jan. 1. Why the discrepancy in guidance without cause?”
Scheuneman reiterated the WPIAL stands behind the PIAA in delaying the start of fall sports for two weeks. Heat acclimation for football was to start Monday, but it has been pushed back until Aug. 24.
“The delay is not because we feel there needs to be a delay, but because we hope it allows the time to get clarity to these schools who feel there may be legal ramifications for not following his strong recommendation,” Scheuneman said.
She pointed at the announcement by the Amateur Athletic Union and other youth and club programs that they would not adhere to Wolf’s recommendation.
“Other programs are already saying they’re going to continue playing. If you were able to have (athletes) play with their school, it is actually a safer environment because of the precautions that have already been taken,” Scheuneman said. “We’ve seen a lot of student athletes on social media out there saying ‘Wear a mask so I can wear a helmet’ or ‘Wear a mask so I can have a season’ … the kids want to play and they’re going to do what they have to do to play. I think it’s encouraging and a safer environment than not having sports.”
With the pandemic nearing six months, it’s clear the virus is not just going to go away. But Scheuneman said schools have plans in place for those situations.
“I think it’s inevitable that people are going to contract this virus. That is something that cannot be stopped,” she said. “But what we need to do is safeguard as much as we can to provide a safer environment and catch cases early and isolate these individuals so it does not spread.
“It doesn’t look as if this virus is going away any time soon, so we have to live within it as well.”
While student-athletes sometimes feel as though the WPIAL works against them, Scheuneman said it’s important for them to know their schools and the organization are advocating for them to get back to play.
“That’s why we had this public announcement,” she said. “We want the athletes and our schools to know that we are fighting for them to have a season and we want them to know we value what they do and offering sports is an important thing for them.”
Scheuneman said if the governor were to issue a mandate to shut down sports, there’s not much the PIAA could do. But she added that state legislators support high school athletics returning.
“I definitely think they have a voice with the governor and administration,” Scheuneman said. “Local representatives here, from the conversations I’ve had with them, are supportive of sports. So we would ask them to have those conversations in Harrisburg. Again, that’s what the two-week (delay) is for, to change that guidance (in his statement).”
The PIAA’s decision to delay the start of sports briefly affects the WPIAL’s revised schedule. Golf and tennis will now need to alter their first scrimmage and competition dates by a week, and football teams will need to make sure they get in five practices after heat acclimation and before their first scrimmage.
“My plea to Gov. Wolf is to re-evaluate and see the importance of high school athletics as a whole in the development of the student athletes that are going to be the future leaders in our state and our country,” Scheuneman said. “We need to provide as much education and training as we can, and a lot of that comes from sports.
“(Don’t) just paint everybody with a broad brush. If he has concerns with an individual sport, then have those conversations and not make a blanket statement. Our schools have followed the protocols based on guidelines from the state.
“We do not view sports simply as a game, but rather an opportunity for education and overall development of students.”