By JEFF TIRRELL
Franklincountynow.com Staff Writer
(GREENFIELD) –The governing body of high school sports in Massachusetts has officially cancelled the spring season, including the postseason tournaments, due to the ongoing Covid 19 pandemic. The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) said on Friday that with schools closed for the remainder of the school year, there was little choice left but to cancel. The MIAA and its member schools have worked through several contingency plans in an effort to save the season, but to no avail.
The press release from the MIAA is below:
Spring Sports and Spring Tournaments cancelled for the remainder of 2019-2020 School Year
April 24, 2020
In accordance with Governor Charles Baker’s announcement Tuesday that Massachusetts schools will be closed to in person learning for the remainder of the school year, the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) regretfully has cancelled all spring sports and spring tournaments.
Today’s decision by the MIAA Board of Directors was difficult, disappointing, and one that was deferred for several weeks as Association staff, Association members from the Tournament Management Committee (TMC) and the Board worked aggressively to construct optional structures to save the opportunity for our MIAA 80,000 student-athletes to enjoy a spring season.
Despite this disheartening but unavoidable action, it is paramount to applaud our constituents, principals, athletic directors, coaches and student-athletes for their positive power of example and cooperation during this unprecedented crisis. The “life lessons” inherent in the games we play will be our resiliency to provide mental and physical strength to focus on the discipline and teamwork to make a difference in the challenging chapters in the Game of Life. #OneTeamOneMIAA
Stay Well.