Pennsylvania High Schools Can Play Sports This Fall

The PIAA board says sports can go forward this fall despite Gov. Tom Wolf's recommendation that they be postponed.

Pennsylvania high schools can host football, soccer and field hockey games this fall if they choose, the state's governing body for scholastic sports said Friday.

The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association announced that is pressing onward with a plan to conduct high school sports, though without fans, this fall. The PIAA's Board of Directors voted 25-5 to approve the plan after a two-week pause to address concerns over Gov. Tom Wolf's recommendation that scholastic and youth sports be halted until at least Jan. 1, 2021.

In a statement, the PIAA said that it believes sports can continue if schools adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines released earlier this summer. Teams can begin practices Monday. Fans will not be able to attend games, according to state mandates regarding outdoor and indoor gatherings.

The board also unanimously approved a motion to continue monitoring participation among schools and provide alternate solutions, if necessary. Robert Lombardi, executive director of the PIAA, said that one alternate solution could be a spring season for fall teams that do not play.

PIAA Fall Sports Update: pic.twitter.com/RqD73jRTTG

— PIAA (@PIAASports) August 21, 2020

"I wouldn't call it a sigh of relief," Lombardi said after the meeting. "I think the board took two weeks to weigh very seriously what the constituents were saying. I think it’s a good thing, as illustrated by the vote."

The decision ended several weeks of angst that began Aug 6, when Wolf closed a press conference with his recommendation that caught PIAA officials by surprise. The PIAA paused its return plan for two weeks to meet with state officials and gather more information about the recommendation.

The Pennsylvania Departments of Health and Education backed Wolf's recommendation, as did Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine, who said that scholastic and youth sports were not "worth the risk."

But Wolf and Levine since have repeated that their recommendation did not amount to a mandate and that the PIAA would have the final decision. Some leagues and individual districts across the state have delayed competition schedules or canceled their fall seasons.

"Everybody was committed to try," Lombardi said. "We know there's no guarantees. There's no guarantees of anything, but we're at least making an attempt to try. And if it doesn't go well, and we have to shut down, we'll do it. Because everybody knows the health and safety of everyone is first and foremost. We've said that from jump street.

"But we're also an athletic association that are advocates for young people, for student-athletes. We think we owed it to our member schools, their athletes and the coaches, athletic departments, administrators, parents and communities to try."

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