Sports in USD 259 thrown a lifeline: COVID committee will review decision to cancel
The fate of Wichita Public Schools athletics fall season rests in a subcommittee that was officially created last week.
The newly created COVID-19 Advisory Committee will review the Wichita Board of Education’s recent decision to cancel all fall activities.
That committee was created during Thursday’s BOE meeting and its review, being done at the request of the Board, is due sometime next week. After the review, the superintendent and BOE will make a final decision.
In short, fall sports might still happen at Wichita Public Schools.
The board had voted Thursday to cancel all outside activities for nine weeks.
The reprieve came Monday evening after BOE District 6
BOE District 6 Representative Ron Rosales created the motion in order to expedite the review process. He said the COVID-19 Advisory Committee can make a recommendation whether to reconsider the BOE’s vote. It can also recommend whether to change any of the language or definitions of the gating criteria - a color-coded chart created by the state suggesting restrictions on in-person classes and other activities based on the presence of coronavirus in a community.
In short, fall sports might still happen at Wichita Public Schools.
The BOE voted 5-2 Thursday night to place the district in the orange gating criteria set forth by the state’s education department, meaning all activities would have to be done remotely. The orange criteria also forces all sixth through 12th-grade students onto a remote learning system.
That decision was met with sharp rebuke as players, coaches, athletic directors and even representatives from schools outside of Wichita, many of whom were from the AVCTL - a suburban league of 26 schools, all of which plan to play - gathered to make their voices heard.
Although Monday’s decision does not guarantee sports will return, it buys some hope for those who love them.
The BOE asked the public not to direct phone calls, emails or opinions of any kind to the committee. It asked J Means, athletic director of the City League (Greater Wichita Athletic League, GWAL), to tell his individual high school athletic directors to communicate that message.
“It won’t make a difference,” BOE President Sheril Logan said.
If the decision is final on Wichita Public Schools athletics, there is still a path for those athletes to compete this school year.
Earlier Monday afternoon, the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) Executive Board voted unanimously to pass a proposal that established an “Alternative fall” and “Extended spring” season. For schools that do not participate in fall activities in 2020, they would be granted time in the spring with 26 days of overlap with spring sports.
Although the plan has its flaws, it provides student-athletes with another opportunity. It also is not finalized. The proposal will go before the KSHSAA Board of Directors, a body of 78 representatives, at 3 p.m. Friday for further discussion and another vote.
If Wichita Public Schools do not participate in fall activities, the district would be allowed to compete in a fall season without championship events in the spring, if the vote passes through the KSHSAA Board of Directors.
“We’re all still pressing with that hopefulness to play fall normal, but the reality might be something that we are not prepared for to cancel everything and move over to spring,” said Jason Herman, Class 6A representative on the board and Olathe North’s principal, during the KSHSAA Executive Board meeting.
At the USD 259 BOE meeting Monday evening, Means was granted time to speak, something that did not happen Thursday when activities were taken away. After Thursday’s meeting, Means said he was prepared with the information the BOE requested at the previous meeting but was not given the opportunity to present.
When he got before the BOE Monday night, he revealed there had been some positive tests among those involved in City League activities: four cheerleaders and dancers, one boys soccer player and one football coach.
Means said none of the cases resulted in hospitalizations, none were connected and none were contracted while at summer conditioning events.
“We had more than 1,500 kids participate in summer workouts with 6 positive cases,” Means said. “I can do the math for you. That’s .004%”
Tuesday, Means said he was happy the board allowed him the chance to speak.
“Is this going to be easy? No,” Means said. “All of these things are tough decisions, but at least we have the opportunity to maybe move forward.”
Some in the WPS athletics community aren’t seeing it that way.
Northwest football coach Steve Martin has been at the front of the rallying efforts to bring activities back to USD 259. His program is coming off back-to-back state championship game appearances and figured to be in the mix for the Class 5A state championship again in 2020.
After Monday’s meeting, he warned of a “mass exodus” away from the district. After Thursday’s decision, Means said he expected at least some student-athletes to leave Wichita Publice Schools as well despite his wishes to keep them all at home.
“The ramifications of the past five days will be felt in our district for years to come!” Martin tweeted Monday night.
Likewise, there were still concerns among the BOE members with the possibility of competing in fall activities. District 1 Representative Ben Blankley said he feared the situation would end poorly. Logan cited seeing a few protesters who were not wearing masks or social distancing.
“For us to do this right, we’ve got to have everybody on board,” Blankley said. “... We can do all the plans. We can work really hard. We can get these kids back on the field, and we can put a lot of effort into it, but if just a tiny, tiny minority of folks aren’t doing the right thing at the right opportunity, then all of our plans are for not and then we’re back in the same situation that we’re in right now.”
Other board members supported the return of activities, citing the detrimental effects on student-athletes’ mental health.
Rosales, District 4 Representative Stan Reeser and District 5 Representative Mike Rodee, former president of the Northwest High Booster Club, did, too.
Monday’s decision to allow the COVID-19 Advisory Committee to review the criteria and decision to cancel leaves a steep hill for the return of activities in Wichita Public Schools. Only the green criteria called for a return of sports of any kind, from football to girls golf. It also allows for all students in the district to return to in-classroom learning.
But the decision also indicated the positive work Wichita Public School coaches, players and athletic directors made through their protests.
“These guys want to do it,” Rodee said. “They want it so bad they can taste it.”
This story was originally published August 24, 2020 at 9:51 PM.