Four days after their vote to cancel the winter sports season, the Arizona Interscholastic Association Executive Board held another special executive meeting on Jan. 12, and ultimately flipped the decision. Winter high school sports in Arizona will continue, starting Jan. 18, with masks required at all times.
Several coaches, players, family members and people in the community voiced their displeasure following the initial vote to cancel the season. Before discussion, Executive Director David Hines addressed the 'hundreds' of emails he and many of the board members received.
He said the vitriol against the board members was not the reason for a re-vote, but wanted to ask the community for more respect of the board members that 'graciously volunteer their time.'
"We have had board members that have been harrassed. We've had board members that have been threatened," he said.
The initial vote on Jan. 8 was 5-4 against continuing the season. Eight of the nine votes stayed the same, but member Jim Love changed from "no" to "yes" stating that the onus should be on campus administration and coaches to keep athletes safe, even as COVID-19 numbers spike throughout the state.
"I want to give the schools the choice to play or not," he said.
As the board had considered initially, members said athletes would find other opportunities to play, either in on club teams or independent leagues. The Arizona Basketball Coaches Association, for example, began initial steps for a league with high school teams that would emulate a traditional season just hours after the board's Jan. 9 decision.
Board member Jeannine Brandel said schools have the best infrastructure to keep students safe, rather than letting them participate in activities not related to their academics.
"Much like when you dam a river, the water has to go somewhere. The same is true with our students," she said.
The vote was nowhere near unanimous, though. Four of the five board members that initially voted against holding winter sports held pat in their opinions.
The Sports Medicine Advisory Committee recommended the cancelation of winter sports, citing Arizona's 'record-high' numbers of COVID-19 cases.
The recommendation was based on hospitalization statistics. As of reporting, 93 percent of all Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds and 92 percent of all inpatient beds are in use, according to the SMAC. The AIA agreed that sports and gatherings could increase the already-high numbers.
"How do we not take the opinion of the medical experts? I'm having a really hard time with how we do that," said board member Ricky Greer.
Every person in attendance at a practice or contest will be required to wear an adequate mask. And schools will allow just two parents or guardians per athlete.
Despite the restrictions, many winter sports coaches from around the state were thrilled to hear the news of the continued season.
"We are grateful for the AIA's reversal of their decision. We understand the realities of the virus and have respected it from the beginning. While this decision was not an easy one to make we will honor it by doing the right thing every day by continuing to follow protocol and procedures given to us by health and medical professionals. We cannot wait to get back in the gym with our student-athletes and prepare for the opportunity to compete. We are very happy for our school, community, student-athletes and their families," said Saguaro boys' basketball coach Lucas Ramirez.
Competition will begin, as originally planned, on Monday, Jan. 18.
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