(New Buffalo, MI) - New Buffalo High School Athletic Director, Matt Johnson, said the three week suspension of winter sports, due to Governor Whitmer's COVID-19 response, may result in Girls and Boys High School Basketball Season being delayed.

 

The girls’ basketball season in New Buffalo is scheduled to begin the first week in December.  Basketball games for the boys are supposed to start the following week.  However, school sports teams are prohibited from practice while the Governor’s three week order is in effect.  If the Governor allows winter sports to resume on December 9, Johnson said the teams would have few, if any, practices under their belts prior to their first games.

 

The Michigan High School Athletic Association has not decided how the seasons will proceed if the Governor’s order is lifted in three weeks.  Johnson said he assumes the MHSAA would allow the period during Christmas break to be used for practices with games starting when students return in early January.

 

Johnson also said he was surprised the suspension of winter sports was statewide instead of those decisions being made regionally or locally based on COVID-19 statistics from each area.  “In our school system, we’ve had very, very minimal cases. It’s a shame what’s happening in maybe some of the other big cities is affecting what we are allowed and not allowed to do with kids in the smaller communities,” he said.

 

Whether the semi-state and state finals in football and volleyball will resume has not been decided.  Kevin Labaj, head coach of the New Buffalo High School volleyball team, said he feared not having a season prior to the start of the school year.

 

After the Governor opened the door for fall sports, the volleyball team played 20 games and went undefeated until losing in the first round of the regionals last week.  Close to 40 games are played during a typical season.  “I’m happy we got in as many games as we did,” Labaj said.