People pushing for high school sports must now assess new state plan

High school administrators in Easter Washington have been hoping that extracurricular activities, including sports, will return as planned beginning on Feb. 1, but a Tuesday announcement of a new state plan for managing the pandemic makes that prospect unclear. 

A letter signed by 103 Eastern Washington School Administrators, including Lake Roosevelt Athletic Director Tim Rasmussen, was sent to Gov. Jay Inslee, the Washington State Legislature, and the Washington State Department of Health, emphasizing the importance of returning to sports and a greater sense of normalcy for students.

 “We have a moral obligation to take action for our students,” the letter says. “In the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 emergency we are focused on the physical health of our students at the expense of their emotional and mental health. What our students need is HOPE. Our students need to experience the extra and co-curricular activities that allow them to utilize their unique gifts and talents and also provide a safer outlet for them to cope with these difficult times.”

“Many of us are engaged in onsite learning and have been since the beginning of the school year,” the letter continues. “The data is showing very limited transmission of the virus within schools leading to the conclusion that the school campus is one of the safest places a student can be during this pandemic. … There is an immediate need for our school districts, in partnership with local health districts, to have the ability to slowly and safely engage students in small group extra and co-curricular activities with a return to limited, local/regional competition.” 

The letter was started by Reardan Superintendent Eric Sobotta and Davenport Superintendent Jim Kowalkowski. It had 103 signatures as of Dec. 22, 2020.

The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association announced Jan. 4, that they moved their executive board meeting scheduled for that day to today, Jan. 6, “in anticipation of revised metrics and guidelines from the Governor’s Office and Washington State Department of Health regarding education-based athletics and activities.”

“The Executive Board is scheduled to review the current WIAA Season Schedules and plan for adjustments as necessary with the goal of providing opportunities for student-participants in every sport and activity based on the mandatory COVID-19 guidelines,” the announcement reads.

Rasmussen told The Star on Tuesday that he was hopeful there would be more clarity in the situation by the end of the week on whether schools can go forward with the current plan to return to sports on Feb. 1, beginning with winter sports. 

A statewide surge in COVID-19 cases has delayed confirmation of that plan. 

“Everybody is anxiously waiting to see what things are going to look like, and then we can plan moving forward,” he said. 

Last month, Governor Inslee raised the metrics in guidelines for returning to in person school to a COVID-19 incidence rate of 350 cases per 100,000 population or below, up from 75 or below.

That changed Tuesday, when Inslee announced a whole new plan, grouping counties into regions and starting all of them at “Phase 1” in the new ““Healthy Washington–Roadmap to Recovery” plan.

In Phase 1, only low-risk sports are permitted for practice only, and in groups of five or fewer athletes.

In Phase 2, moderate-risk indoor and all outdoor sports can have competitions, but no tournaments.

“We consider athletics to be an extension of the classroom,” Rasmussen said Tuesday before Inslee’s announcement. “To me it would make sense to follow the same protocols and metrics. Personally, whatever people feel is the best for their kid, giving people the opportunity to choose is the best thing right now. … We’ve had good success at the school with the [safety] protocols we’ve been using. It’s been working well.”

Rasmussen said that students missing sports and suffering from the lack of sports is huge in this area, as well as the state and the nation, noting that 39 states are allowing high school sports to be played right now. 

“The challenges and the adversity that our kids have had to do and adapt to reaches far beyond just the classroom right now,” he said. “We have a large group of kids that are very anxious and wanting to get back involved with things, and that’s not just local but statewide.”

Scott Hunter contributed reporting for this article.