Snodgrass: hope fading for spring sports

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

An official decision whether to reopen or close Ohio schools will be made in the coming days, a decision that will have a direct bearing on 2020 high school baseball, softball, boys tennis, track and field and lacrosse seasons.

If schools are reopened on May 4, spring sports will be played in an abbreviated fashion locally and statewide starting May 9, but if Governor Mike DeWine orders school buildings to remain closed for the remainder of the academic year, spring sports will be canceled altogether.

DeWine has previously said he won’t be surprised if schools remain closed until August. Unless the number of COVID-19 cases begins to substantially decline very soon, his prediction may become reality.

The May 4 date has given coaches and student-athletes some optimism, but Ohio High School Athletic Association Executive Director Jerry Snodgrass said in a radio interview with WIRO 1230AM (Ironton) and WZWB 1420AM (Huntington, West Virginia) that hope is fading each day.

“As each day goes by, the hope of that (schools reopening and spring sports) is fading,” Snodgrass said on-the-air Tuesday. “I only say that because I am looking at surrounding states – not that they canceled but looking statistically at what is happening.”

“I am also looking at the Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control,” Snodgrass added. “There is a perception that we want to get back for the economy sake, but people have a misconception that a bell is going to ring and everything is going to go,”

The ultimate decision to re-open or close Ohio schools will be made by DeWine and during the radio interview, Snodgrass said the OHSAA will go from there.

“If we think we are going back to school on May 4, then I need to have plans in place,” Snodgrass said. “I have been very clear from day one that if school is canceled, if the brick and mortar schools are not re-opened, then we will cancel our spring sports. We won’t have any choice.”

Snodgrass also said fall sports might be affected if schools remain closed and facilities are unavailable well into the summer, and he wouldn’t dismiss the option of limiting attendance to just families during the fall sports season.