On Thursday, February 11 the Canton Central Board of Education approved a plan for High-Risk Winter Sports. Those sports include Varsity and JV Girls and Boys Basketball, Varsity Girls and Boys Ice Hockey and Low-Risk Sport Boys Swimming. Wrestling has been moved to the Fall 2 Season and Boys and Girls Indoor Track will not take place due to a lack of venue for competition.
In approving the winter plan, the Canton School Board heeded the advice of Dr. Williams, SLC Board of Public Health, Dr. Dana McGuire, Director of SLC Public Health and Dr. Palmateer, Canton Central School Medical Director. Our District has approved the plan with the requirement that all participants be COVID-19 tested as per protocols that will soon be recommended.
Please be advised that we cannot begin practice until the testing protocols are in place and being used. While other schools are beginning practice as soon as February 13, we must delay so that we remain within the guidelines of the Board’s approval and strive for a safe return to activity.
In the coming days, a working group from Public Health, the medical community and school superintendents will meet to develop a plan that focuses on health and safety while still practical to implement. C.C.S. Superintendent Ron Burke will be one of the superintendents which will serve on this committee. It is our hope that all required components will be in place so that we can begin the required testing during the early part of the week of February 22 with practices starting immediately thereafter. Students will need to have completed the NYSED Interval Health History form prior to participating along with whatever COVID-19 test requirements are determined to be needed. Athletes who have tested positive for COVID-19 will need to communicate this to school nurse Candy Bates prior to starting practices and may need to follow additional steps in order to return to play safely. Practice schedules for ice hockey can be found on the Pavilion Site and basketball/swim schedules at the Athletics Webpage under the “Practice Schedules” link.
As with everything Covid, changes are being made at a rapid pace. The start and end dates for the Winter, Fall 2 and Spring seasons have changed to those listed below.
Winter can start on 2/13 and will end by 3/31.
Fall 2 can start on 3/22 and will end by April 25
Spring season will start on 4/19 and will end on 6/20 or potentially later.
Wrestling, football, modified boys and girls basketball, volleyball, and girls swimming have been moved to the Fall 2 Season. Spring sports are slated to begin on April 19 and include golf, boys and girls track, boys and girls lacrosse and baseball and softball. Every effort possible will be made to not impact this season as the spring sport athletes have already lost an entire experience with the beginning of the pandemic last March.
In the coming days C.C.S. Coaches will be communicating practice expectations with those families of winter sport athletes. We ask for your patience as we have one opportunity to open both safely and effectively. The successful completion of a winter sports season will help to ensure the smooth transition into the Fall 2 and Spring Seasons and a return to something that finally feels normal! From the mouth of our Varsity Football Coach Tom Cloce, “We will find a way”!!
Go Bears!
Plaindealer Sports 