Local ADs delay reopening of facilities

Van Wert independent sports

While school districts around Ohio are permitted to open training facilities on Tuesday, May 26, (see related story below) school athletic facilities in Van Wert County will remain closed for the time being, according to a joint statement issued Friday by Crestview athletic administrator Trent Kreischer, Lincolnview athletic director Greg Leeth and Van Wert athletic director Trent Temple.

“The safety of our student-athletes is the number one priority,” the statement said. “As our districts work together on a unified plan and timeline to resume workouts at school facilities, we ask that our communities and students remain patient so that we may properly plan to continue to take steps forward that we hope will ultimately lead to a return of interscholastic sports in the fall.”

“For now, our facilities will remain closed so we can plan and gather information from our coaches on how to best open up our districts to meet the needs of our student-athletes with safe training conditions and activities under state safety guidelines. The goal is that smart and precise planning now will lead to consistent progress toward opening up as soon as we can get such plans in place.”

“School administration from Van Wert, Lincolnview, and Crestview have met on a county level to start plans that will allow athletes and school coaches to begin skills training sessions,” the statement also said. “County schools have also been working in conjunction with the Van Wert County Health Department to ensure safety guidelines are properly being interpreted from the ‘Restart Ohio’ plan.”

Van Wert County schools aren’t alone in temporarily delaying the re-opening of athletic facilities. Other school districts around the state are doing the same to best formulate safety plans.