Update: KSHSAA has voted to start winter sports as scheduled, and adding a longer break after Christmas. No fans will be allowed until after Jan. 28. There will be no change in the number of games/meets for players.

KSHSAA is proposing the delay of winter sports until Jan. 15. The vote will occur tomorrow.

Coaches from all winter sports are disappointed by this news, including head girls basketball coach Jerrod Handy.

“I was very disappointed and frustrated,” Handy said. “But [I] realized it’s out of my hands and will have to adjust however needed.”

Senior basketball player Olivia Wedman said she was also disappointed to hear about the possibility of a delay, but holds out hope for a good outcome for her team.

“Whenever I first heard that we might have a delay to our season, it was super upsetting because my team and I treat basketball as more than a game,” Wedman said. “It’s so important in all of our lives so it just is upsetting that this could be the result when we have been following guidelines through the whole fall.” 

Head swim coach Tedd Gibson said he’s not a fan of delaying the season, but hopes KSHSAA makes the decision based on whatever is best for athletes, and for what gives his swimmers an opportunity for a good season.

“I would allow the season to proceed and ask that KSHSAA offer guidelines on how to safely manage each sport,” Gibson said. “For instance, swimming might be allowed to have intersquad meets that would allow us an opportunity at state cuts instead of losing meets. We could also cut back on the number of teams at each meet while allowing those teams who were cut to host duals or double duals with each other.” 

If the delay does get passed, Handy said his mindset will not change for this season, and that optimism is key.

“We will be resilient and demonstrate the ability to overcome anything life throws at us,” he said. “We will have more time to practice and will concentrate on having fun and working to be the best we can by January.”