Local Sports

Monticello Athletic Director Sounds Off on Lack of Communication from IDPH, Governor

Pulling off some sort of fall sports season for football, soccer and volleyball athletes would almost be impossible at this point for Illinois high school administrators so now the attention turns to the winter sports season and if kids will get to participate in basketball, wrestling and many other sports.

 

Monticello athletic Director Dan Sheehan says the 'All Sports' policy handed down from Governor JB Pritzker does now allow for "medium risk sports", which includes basketball. While everyone focuses on the Governor and IDPH, Sheehan says the Illinois State Board of Education is going to have to get involved. 

 

 

According to Sheehan, he is frustrated by the lack of guidance and communication. He says there are no answers coming from Gov. Pritzker or IDPH about what thresholds schools and the state need to achieve to be able to play medium-risk sports this winter.

 

 

While many still remain critical of the IHSA, Sheehan says the IHSA could put a policy in place that allows sports to return and spurn the Governor's guidance but he questions how many schools would sign up to participate in such a plan because of their reliance on state dollars. 

 

 

Lack of communication is what frustrates Sheehan the most about the situation. He says there is not guidance on what needs to be done for sports to be played. There are no thresholds of testing or positivity rates.

 

 

Sheehan believes the focus for sports now needs to be working between now and Nov. 16, the start of the winter sports season, to find out what needs to be done to allow students to play sports. He says school administrators, players and parents are willing to do what it takes to play sports this winter. 

Townhall Top of the Hour News

Local Weather - Sponsored By:

CLINTON WEATHER

Local News

DeWittDN on Facebook