PIAA pauses fall sports, seeks further discussion with governor before final decision
The PIAA won’t be making a final decision on fall sports for at least another two weeks. The announcement comes a day after Gov. Tom Wolf strongly recommended postponing high school sports until Jan. 1, 2021.
In a statement released Friday afternoon following an emergency board of directors meeting, the PIAA — Pennsylvania’s governing body over high school sports — paused mandatory fall sports activities until Aug. 24, with a request to further discuss the issues at hand.
“PIAA is asking the governor, along with the Departments of Health and Education, to partner with us and work collaboratively to further discuss fall sports,” the statement read. “We are also seeking insight and discussion from the Pennsylvania General Assembly.”
The governing body said the consequences of canceling fall sports are at the heart of its desire to make high school sports work this year in some form.
“It is clear to PIAA, the unintended consequences of canceling fall sports need to be further reviewed,” the statement continued.
Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, R-Bellefonte, along with Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Benner Township, released a statements Friday urging the organization to stay the course and continue pushing toward a fall sports season.
“I understand that you feel enormous pressure from Gov. Wolf, who has often been punitive against those who have gone against him, and constrained by his recommendation. However, I want to remind you that what he laid out is, in fact, a recommendation, not a new law or executive mandate,” Benninghoff’s letter read. “PIAA is an independent association, and I, along with many Pennsylvanians, trust your previous commonsense decision to allow fall activities to safely continue so students can have even a degree of normalcy that they so desperately need and deserve.”
The governing body stated its belief that it can safely sponsor fall sports and will reconvene Aug. 21 to further discuss the issue.
This story was originally published August 7, 2020 at 3:47 PM.
