Heat acclimation for high school football players across the state was scheduled to start this week before being pushed back two weeks by the PIAA in response to Gov. Tom Wolf’s recommendation to postpone sports until Jan. 1.
                                 Times Leader file photo

Heat acclimation for high school football players across the state was scheduled to start this week before being pushed back two weeks by the PIAA in response to Gov. Tom Wolf’s recommendation to postpone sports until Jan. 1.

Times Leader file photo

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Two Republican members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives announced Tuesday two pieces of legislation that will impact sports, extracurricular activities and educational opportunities for students during the upcoming school year, which has been impacted by COVID-19 concerns.

Rep. Mike Reese (R-Westmoreland/Somerset) introduced a bill that would allow Pennsylvania’s local school districts to make decisions regarding fall sports and activities.

Rep. Jesse Topper (R-Bedford/Franklin/Fulton) introduced a bill that would allow students and families to have the option to continue the student’s education and extracurricular activities for an additional year to make up for the loss of instruction and competition during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years.

According to a press release, the bills will go to the House Education Committee for consideration. They are in response to Gov. Tom Wolf’s statement Thursday morning where he strongly recommended school and recreational youth sports be suspended until Jan. 1.

Wolf clarified his statement later Thursday, saying it was only a recommendation and not an order or mandate. Republican representatives have been highly critical of Wolf and over 60 of them sent him a letter Friday voicing their opposition to the recommended shutdown.

“This call began on Aug. 6 when Gov. Wolf ended a press conference by answering a legitimate, good question from a reporter who asked if there was any guidance available regarding spectators, specifically parents, at the PIAA events coming up this fall,” Reese said at a press conference that was available online. “It was then he first recommended that school sports not occur until at least Jan. 1.

“I don’t have to tell anyone here that announcement created shockwaves throughout the athletic community and the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. And the reason for that, I think, is because most adults understand the value of student activities. Not just athletics, but all student activities.”

Wolf’s comment sent the PIAA into an emergency meeting on Thursday and another on Friday where it decided to delay fall sports two weeks until Aug. 24 with the hopes of getting a dialogue with the Wolf administration. Fall sports were set to begin this past Monday with heat acclimation for football. Fall practices for all sports were set to start Aug. 17.

“I was personally taken back by the governor and his statement when I realized he didn’t even have a conversation with two entities who I’d say are really important to talk to about this issue,” Reese said. “The first, the PIAA. … The PIAA has been the managing and governing organization for school sports in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania for over 100 years. Their voting members are made up of our local school district members. It’s a statewide organization whose sole responsibility is to consider how to make sports in Pennsylvania both fair and safe.

“Aside from parents themselves, there is no organization more invested in making sure kids are safe in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania when on the field of play.”

Reese also said the Wolf administration didn’t have conversions with local school boards, which he said have a better grasp on their COVID-19 situations. PIAA executive director Dr. Robert Lombardi allowed schools to create their own safety plan for the return of sports. He didn’t want the PIAA to make what he called a “one-size-fit-all” safety plan for all schools to follow because of diversity in athletic programs and facilities.

“I think this approach recognizes that what works in Philly might not work in Pittsburgh,” Reese said. “What works in Pittsburgh might not work in Scranton or Erie. I think we need to let them play as best they can. Let these kids play.”

Reese added his son is a member of the junior high football program at Mt. Pleasant and his daughter is a cheerleader.

Topper’s bill could come into conflict with the PIAA’s period of participation rules of its bylaws stated in its handbook.

The PIAA prohibits participation in interscholastic athletics under the following circumstances:

• A student reached the end of his or hers fourth consecutive year (eighth consecutive semester or the equivalent) beyond the eighth grade year, without regard to the student’s period of attendance.

• A student participated in six seasons beyond the sixth grade or four seasons beyond the eighth grade in any sport.

• A student completed the work of grades nine, 10, 11 and 12, inclusive.

The PIAA bylaws also state that waivers to the period of participation rules “are very sparingly granted and permitted only under the most exceptional of circumstances. Illnesses and injuries sustained which only affect a student’s ability to participate in athletics will not be considered.”

The PIAA also has an age limit of 19 for students. The by-laws state, “if the age of 19 is attained on or after July 1, the student is eligible, age-wise, to compete through that school year.”

Topper believes schools need to reopen with as much face-to-face instruction as possible, and sports and other extracurricular activities should be available.

“Let me be very clear, if these options are not available to our students and their families, then we no longer have the ability to call that public education,” Topper said.

Topper said if a family feels its child or children are not receiving an acceptable educational experience this school year there should be an option to ask for an extra year at the same grade level with all opportunities at that grade level remaining in place.

“As adults, we should not let fear paralyze us and keep children from pursuits of their goals and their dreams,” Topper said.

Rep. Seth Grove (R-Dover Township) has filed a right-to-know request with the Wolf administration to get the data showing how decisions are being made during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pennsylvania Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said Monday there “isn’t a lot of granular data” available for the recommendation sports be shut down until Jan. 1 and cited pediatric cases in other states but not from Pennsylvania.

“The simple fact that they can be challenged and tell Pennsylvania residents, who aren’t dumb people,” Grove said. “Pennsylvanians understand data. They understand if you explain why you’re making decisions they can come up with the same conclusion as you. But we have yet to see the governor or his administration provide any data on any decision they’ve made between bars and restaurants, school athletics, anything.”

Wolf’s recommendation would also have an adverse effect on the high school winter seasons. Winter sports such as basketball, swimming and wrestling can hold their first practice Nov. 20 under PIAA rules. The first scrimmage would be Nov. 27 and first athletic contest on Dec. 11.

Many of the PIAA’s 12 districts have already come up with alternative plans for the fall sports season. District 12 had the Philadelphia Public League cancel all fall sports. About a half-dozen other schools in areas where COVID-19 had a huge impact have also canceled fall sports.