By Garth Shanklin
Sports Editor
For the most part, the OHSAA’s press conference on Thursday, March 19 didn’t reveal too much anxious fans and athletes didn’t already know.
As of this writing, the winter sports tournaments are still postponed while spring practices are scheduled to begin on April 6. However, one key piece of information did come out this afternoon.
According to Executive Director Jerry Snodgrass, the OHSAA hopes to finalize a decision on the winter sports tournaments within the next 24 to 48 hours.
“We have to,” Snodgrass said. “I don’t want to lead people on and give them false hope.”
That decision would come a little over a week after the events were initially postponed. Snodgrass noted the window for those events was closing due to several factors, including the availability of officials and sites.
One plan bantered around on social media involved splitting the tournament into multiple sites. Snodgrass said that would be unlikely due to the CDC’s recommendation limiting groups to 10 or fewer people.
In terms of spring sports, Snodgrass said the current no-contact period was implemented to help keep kids from getting together on their own and to encourage social distancing.
“We didn’t want captains practices,” Snodgrass said. “We didn’t want voluntary practices. We really tried to address that because we thought it was important.”
As of now, the spring sports timeline has not changed, though Snodgrass made it clear plans could change depending on orders from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. He also noted that even without clear messaging from the Governor’s office he himself could make the call.
“If it’s becoming so obvious, I’m not going to blame this on the governor,” Snodgrass said. “It is a factor, and if he does do it we have no choice.”
With schools on an extended Spring Break until April, the current schedule is based around them opening once that period ends. If that’s not the case, Snodgrass said the OHSAA still has options.
“Even if the extension of school closures is a week, we still have room,” Snodgrass said. “We don’t know. If schools were to open back up, will they be required to be open for longer periods of time during the day? That would have a huge impact.”
Snodgrass also touched on issues ranging from students using public school facilities (such as tracks that are usually kept open to the public) and eligibility issues for the fall. For the former issue, Snodgrass acknowledged that he had left enforcement of that up to the schools and coaches.
“I wanted their help to pull their coaches together (not physically) and have our coaches do what they do best: lead,” Snodgrass said. “I’ve said repeatedly that what coaches do is much more than winning. Now highlights that more than ever. Get them [the kids] to understand the bigger fight in this…It’s time for our coaches to do what they do best: be leaders.”
Snodgrass was then asked about potential impacts on the fall sports season.
“I’ll openly say it: We haven’t discussed the fall yet,” Snodgrass said. “Every one of us understands how rapidly moving and fluid this situation has been. It’s now on our radar to start looking at the ‘What-Ifs’. We hope for the best and plan for the worst. We’ll start looking.”
Eligibility issues are twofold. For starters, some schools were able to complete the third quarter, while others were not. If school closures are extended through the spring season, eligibility for fall sports is impacted. Plans for academic eligibility in the 2020-2021 season are still being worked on, and a blanket ruling of ‘eligible’ for all athletes is on the table, according to Snodgrass. An extra year of eligibility for high school seniors is not being considered.
Snodgrass also briefly touched on when students could be allowed to compete on non-school affiliated teams.
“We could instantly open it up, but we have a responsibility, I believe, to help fight this pandemic,” Snodgrass said. “The more restrictions we put on that they cannot compete with these other groups, the more control we have.”
In terms of the OHSAA itself, Snodgrass wasn’t sure what the cancelation of spring tournaments would have on the organization’s budget, but he estimated the loss of the winter tournaments as a figure between $1.4 and $1.5 million. He also stressed the desire to not let those losses impact the athletes.
“We’re a non-profit organization,” Snodgrass said. “Eighty percent of our revenue is from ticket sales. When we start looking at how we deal with that, we’re going to make certain the opportunities we provide to kids is at the forefront of what we maintain.”
Snodgrass said he and his staff have tried to figure out how to work around the organization’s own bylaws to provide the best possible experience for the athletes.
“Don’t let our bylaws box us in,” Snodgrass said. “Think creatively. That’s the only thing I’m holding on to right now. If it is inevitable, is there something creative we can do to give respect to the kids who have put in those efforts?”
Snodgrass also acknowledged messages he had received from athletes throughout the state.
“I know the emotion that goes with it,” Snodgrass said. “When I was coaching, I went to the gym every day with one goal in mind: to get to the state tournament. That’s being denied, and I get that. But it’s being denied for something much bigger than all of us.”
He finished with a hopeful message.
“We will come back,” Snodgrass said. “School athletics will come back. Now more than ever, we need to be unified to get them back.”