The Maine Principals' Association (MPA) has agreed to delay the start of the fall sports season in order to adjust its guidelines on resuming high school athletics.
In a statement released Wednesday, MPA Executive Director Mike Burnham says his organization plans to work with state officials over the next few days in order to address areas of concern.
“In the coming days, we will work closely and collaboratively with the Administration to modify our guidance and arrive at a solution that will honor the State’s safety protocols and protect the health and safety of student athletes along with their communities," Burnham wrote. "We are grateful to the departments for their response to our request for feedback and look forward to working with them so that students may be able to play sports as quickly and as safely as possible.”
Last week, the association's interscholastic committee unanimously approved guidelines that would have allowed all fall sports to resume. But administration officials pushed back on the plan Tuesday, pointing to several areas of concern, including those around policies governing face coverings, social distancing and high-risk sports.
In a statement, Democratic Gov. Janet Mills said that she was asking commissioners to work with the MPA and other groups to address those concerns and ensure the "health and safety" of students, families and their communities.
“I am a firm believer in the value of school sports which support the physical, social, and mental health of young people,” Mills said. “I want to see fall sports come back this year in a way that protects the health of students on the field, in the locker room and in the classroom, while safeguarding members of the larger community."
The photo used in this post appears through a media sharing agreement with Bangor Daily News.
