spring sports | Coupeville Sports

Posts Tagged ‘spring sports’

“I wish nothing but the greatest to all of you”

Posted in Everything changes, tagged CHS Wolves, Class of 2020, Covid-19, spring sports, Willie Smith on April 6, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Coupeville High School/Middle School Athletic Director Willie Smith (middle) and CHS Principal Duane Baumann (right) in happier times. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Washington is the 14th state to shut down in-person learning for the duration of the 2019-2020 school year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

That decision ends any hope of spring sports being played.

Coupeville Athletic Director Willie Smith issued the following statement:

Wow, I don’t even know how to address the news that Governor Inslee just gave: the closing of our school year…

It goes without saying, and I’m actually entirely tired of saying or hearing this, that these are unprecedented times that we are living in right now.

My greatest concern, once school first got cancelled was would we come back, and if so, would we get to have any type of an athletic season.

And yes, I am a teacher and before any of you think why those would be my first thoughts, it’s because athletics is, and always has been part of my education.

It is a massive tool that teaches our students a myriad of lessons and I’m extremely proud to be an advocate of athletics and the role that athletics plays in our educational system.

Our league Athletic Directors, both at the middle and high school levels, began working on alternative seasons in case we came back and the WIAA was going to continue to try and have state championships.

As the second extension came out from Governor Inslee, we quickly moved to playing just within our league and not even considering the state-level competitions as time became our biggest obstacle.

And then today happened.

We had nearly 150 students out for high school spring sports and another 40-50 middle school students that were ready to begin track.

We were, literally, days away from our first contests when COVID-19 necessitated the closure of our schools.

I can’t even begin to express my sadness, disappointment, disbelief, and yes, anger at what has transpired.

Do I disagree with any of the closures? No, I do not.

It was the right thing to do and I think we are fortunate in our state to have a process in place that is forward looking and proactive rather than reactive.

But does it suck? Yes, yes it does, completely and without question.

To the underclassmen: you still have opportunities ahead of you.

Continue to work hard, stay active, get focused on what you can prepare for and not what you didn’t get to have this spring.

To the seniors: there’s nothing I can say that will make you feel good about any of this.

However, I do want to let you know that you have been one of my favorite classes of young men and women in my 25 years in Coupeville.

You are driven, funny, down to earth, high achievers, great friends to each other, and have represented our school in the highest manner.

I have no doubt about the successes you will have because I’ve witnessed the successes you’ve already had; this pandemic may have taken your spring seasons away, but it can’t take away your contributions to our athletic programs and our school culture.

It has truly been my pleasure and my honor to have been a small part of your school lives and I wish nothing but the greatest to all of you.

Mr. Willie Smith
Athletic Director, Coupeville Middle & High School

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No school, no sports

Posted in Everything changes, tagged CHS Wolves, coronavirus, Covid-19, pandemic, spring sports on April 6, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Prep sports will return in the fall. Hopefully. (David Stern photo)

It’s over before it began.

There will be no prep spring sports season in Washington state in 2020.

No high school softball games. No middle school track meets. No Senior Nights.

As the world battles the coronavirus pandemic, things we took for granted have had to be reevaluated.

Hard decisions have had to be made.

And public health concerns have had to rightfully carry the day.

Governor Jay Inslee and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal held a joint news conference Monday, announcing schools will remain shuttered through the end of the 2019-2020 school year.

The closure, which effects 1.2 million students, covers all public, private, and charter schools. It will go through June 19, and could continue through the summer and into the fall.

Washington is the 14th state to close schools for the entire year.

In-person classes and recreation on school grounds are banned, but school-sponsored child care, nutrition programs, and other social services can continue.

Schools are encouraged to continue providing distance learning.

Prior to Monday’s press conference, the plan had been for schools to remain closed until April 24, with students returning April 27 after a six-week shutdown.

Inslee recently extended his Stay Home, Stay Healthy order out through May 4, however, with the caveat it might have to go further.

That made the April return date unworkable.

Previously, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, the governing body for school sports, had help out hope a shortened spring season might be held if students returned to school by late April or early May.

State championships, which were set to finish Saturday, May 30, were not going to be pushed out to later months, so as not to potentially conflict with graduation ceremonies.

Monday’s announcement, however, erases the last bit of hope for any kind of season being played.

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Shortened games, shortened season?

Posted in Baseball, Boys Soccer, Girls Tennis, Softball, Track, tagged baseball, CHS Wolves, coronavirus, Softball, spring sports, WIAA on March 26, 2020| Leave a Comment »

If Coupeville track stars like Raven Vick (left) and Ja’Tarya Hoskins get the chance to compete this spring, they will face a shortened season. (Brian Vick photo)

If there is a spring high school sports season, teams can play shortened games in an effort to complete as much of the schedule as possible in a very short time.

That recommendation was offered Wednesday by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association.

Currently, all schools in the state are shut down through April 24 on the orders of Governor Jay Inslee, as the fight to blunt the spread of coronavirus continues.

If students return to school at the end of the six-week shutdown, with the first classes April 27, they will have to put in 10 practices and then can begin games.

The WIAA previously announced it would offer a waiver, allowing schools to conduct 10 practices in five days time.

It also stated state championships will not be played later than Saturday, May 30, so as not to conflict with graduations in June.

That means if the six-week shutdown is lengthened at all, spring sports could be in jeopardy.

If Washington goes the route of states such as Kansas and cancels classes through the end of the 2019-2020 school year, there would definitely be no spring athletic season.

But, under a best-case scenario, with schools reopening April 27, games could begin as early as May 2.

The WIAA has directed each league and district to determine its own means of qualifying teams for the postseason, and has said it will allow teams which are not in the playoffs to continue regular season games through May 30.

While it’s highly-doubtful schools could play, say, an entire 20-game baseball season in four weeks time, shortened games and multiple contests on the same day will be allowed.

WIAA guidelines for each sport Coupeville High School plays:

Baseball:

*Pitch count, which is a daily limit and not a game limit, will still be enforced.

“Care should be taken to insure that pitchers are not exceeding their arm strength and conditioning during this shortened season,” the WIAA said. “Coaches have an obligation to take care of their pitchers.”

*Teams will be allowed to play shortened games, with five innings being a complete game.

*May 19 is the final day for teams to qualify for regionals, with state championships May 29-30.

Boys Soccer:

*Teams will be allowed to play shortened games, with one half of play constituting a complete game.

*May 19 is the final day for teams to qualify for state. The tourney will be played May 23, 26, 29, and 30.

Girls Tennis:

*Athletes will be allowed to play multiple matches in the same day, but can not exceed nine sets per day.

*May 24 is the final day for individuals to qualify for state.

Softball:

*Teams will be allowed to play shortened games, with five innings constituting a complete game.

*May 24 is the final day for teams to qualify for state.

Track and Field:

*If an athlete competes on their own at an invitational during the shut down, their marks don’t count toward automatic qualifying standards for state. These standards must be met during school-sponsored meets.

*Athletes will still be restricted to competing in a maximum of four events during school-sponsored meets.

*May 24 is the final day for qualifier meets, with the state meet set for May 28-30.

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Ready for action

Posted in Baseball, Boys Soccer, Girls Tennis, Softball, Track, tagged baseball, boys soccer, CHS Wolves, John Fisken photos, Softball, spring sports, tennis, track and field on March 26, 2020| Leave a Comment »

CHS varsity softball leads off a group of pics shot earlier this spring. (Photos by JohnPhotos.net)

Wolf track and field fills up the bleachers.

Varsity soccer takes the field.

Baseball claims the diamond.

JV softball, ready to pile up the runs.

JV soccer defends its net.

Tennis is on point.

The season is on hiatus, but the photos have been snapped.

With the coronavirus pandemic having forced the closure of Washington state schools, Coupeville athletes sit and wait to see if they will get to chase their spring dreams.

But back before the shutdown, wanderin’ paparazzi John Fisken bounced from field to field and captured the team pics seen above.

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Spring sports remain in limbo

Posted in coronavirus updates, tagged CHS Wolves, coronavirus, practice, spring sports, WIAA on March 17, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Coupeville athletes and coaches such as Randy King are sidelined. (Brian Vick photo)

Control what you can control.

With that in mind, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association issued a statement Tuesday in regards to spring sports during the battle to blunt the spread of coronavirus.

There were two primary take-aways.

One, if school closures across the state do end April 24, as is currently planned, the WIAA intends to hold its state championship events as scheduled.

But, any further delays “could put the state championships in jeopardy, as no championships will be held after May 30 to avoid conflicts with graduation.”

If students are allowed to return to class, the first day sports could start back up would be April 27, but all athletes would have to re-do the 10 practices they need to be eligible to compete.

“No matter the outcome of the following weeks, there will be no reduction to the minimum number of practices required to compete,” the WIAA said in its statement.

However, the organization would offer a blanket waiver, allowing athletes to reach 10 practices in five days, instead of the normal 10.

“As an example, administrators could hold a schoolwide conditioning practice before classes and sport-specific practices in the afternoon as a way to reach 10 practices efficiently and safely,” the WIAA said.

If sports do return April 27, games could begin the first week of May.

Even then, seasons would have to be compressed, especially in team sports, as there wouldn’t be enough time to play complete schedules.

One option which has been raised is having team sports such as baseball and softball immediately open play with a league tournament to decide postseason berths.

The losing teams would then pair off and play regular season games, and the WIAA would grant all schools the ability to continue play through May 30.

Nothing has been decided, however.

During the six-week shutdown, coaches are not allowed to work with athletes, teams are not allowed to practice together, and the WIAA is putting an emphasis on school leaders standing firm and honoring restrictions placed by Governor Jay Inslee.