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Date: 12/16/2020
HUNTINGTON – After a vigorous discussion, the Gateway School Committee voted on Dec. 9 to go forward with a shortened varsity basketball season to begin practice on Jan. 4, 2021, with the first game scheduled for Jan. 18, 2021. The winter season ends on Feb. 21, 2021.
Gateway Athletic Director Matthew Bonenfant said he had met with members of the Huntington Board of Health who had approved the plan. “We won’t play any town or city in the red or a 5 percent positivity rate,” Bonenfant said, adding Gateway will only play varsity teams as they did in the summer, and the season will last only six or seven weeks.
Bonenfant said wrestling has been moved to the spring season. When asked about the ski team, he said Gateway was going to be the host team for Smith Vocational, but one out of the three returning students was not planning to participate, so they cancelled it.
Gateway Superintendent David B. Hopson acknowledged that public colleges in Mass. have cancelled their winter sports season, and the Gateway Health Clinic’s nurse leader would not recommend having winter sports. “There have been only eight student cases since the beginning of the school year, none who were in school when they started showing symptoms. A very small number of cases are starting in the schools. We were fortunate to get through soccer. Matt can restrict the number of people coming to games, and we can administratively pull back. To pull the opportunity is one less thing that we offer students,” Hopson said.
Bonenfant said with the rollback to step 1 of phase 3 of the state’s reopening plan, previous indoor restrictions of no more than 25 players and one spectator per player will be in effect. He said some districts limit spectators to home viewing only. He said teams will be allowed up to three coaches who are socially distanced, and the player benches will be behind the coaches, also socially distanced. He said spectators would use the far side of the gym.
School Committee member Tara Balboni of Russell wondered if it is worth the rest to play against only two teams for four weeks. “It’s barely worth the risk,” she said.
School Committee chair Michele Crane of Blandford said there is a benefit in allowing the teams to practice.
Sarah Foley of Middlefield asked if Bonenfant would feel comfortable as a parent having his child play with those conditions.
“I maybe can’t speak to the specific modifications because they’re not out there yet,” Bonenfant said adding that if it got worse in January, they could revisit it and say it isn’t worth it at that point.
“During girls soccer, a parent of an opposing team player tested positive. That player went into quarantine. We were notified within 24 hours. There is a plan in place. That’s where my confidence comes in,” Bonenfant said.
Jason Forgue of Chester said he thought it was an unfortunate decision to only play varsity sports.
Hopson said it was his and Assistant Superintendent Stephanie Fisk’s recommendation to only have varsity teams play. He said on the girls side, there were not enough students for junior varsity.
Bonenfant said the MIAA stipulation was a maximum of 15 players for either varsity or junior varsity, and no student was allowed to play in two games in one night, or be in the gym when others are playing “I’ve been advocating JV if there are enough numbers,” he said.
Forgue wondered how many opted out due to the decision to only play varsity. He said a number of people signed up after the deadline for soccer.
“When I first joined the committee in August, my first statement was we had to rethink everything. We have to change the rules so everyone is safe so the kids can get out and use up their energy,” said David Lubbers of Huntington.
Crane said it sounded like there has been a lot of adjustments made already.
“We have to offer the opportunity for these kids. Parents can make the decision on risk for their kids. For seniors, this may be their last opportunity to play competitively. There is acceptable risk, and parents are the ones who should make that decision,” said Edward Renauld of Huntington.
“Basketball is an indoor sport, and you’re putting your hands on a ball and passing it. It doesn’t make sense to me. I understand the guidelines that MIAA is going to put forth. To Matt’s point about the people that he works with in the athletics of surrounding schools and the timely fashion, as someone who contracted the virus, myself and my family, sometimes it’s too late. For parents to make informed decisions, you have to rely on other people’s decisions and due diligence. Unfortunately, you’re at the mercy of other people making the right decisions, and unfortunately, some people are not. I commend all the hard work by Matt and Stef and Dave, and I understand the need to provide opportunities for our students, but we also have the duty to keep them safe. It’s something I’m struggling with,” said Lyndsey Papillon of Russell.
“I’m not alone, here in December, we would have relied on positive trends that we voted on in August, but we’re still in the most dangerous part of this pandemic since Ma,” she continued.
Each basketball is switched out quarterly, participants and spectators are as limited as they can be. I know some seniors have expressed immense disappointment as to not being able to play last season. I would be ok with it happening, if we are prepared to pull the trigger and cancel it if things look dangerous,” said student liaison Brian Forgue.
Terri Garfield of Blandford said that basketball should go on with as much COVID-19 protocol as possible, and no visitors. “I think this is necessary for their psychological health right now. This is their last year and they really want to play, but aside from that, they’re too physical. The transmission is much lower with kids. Perhaps much more stringent protocols because it is inside and they are passing a ball. I’ve been in a school with the entire school - my school has as many in our building as you have in one of your cohorts, and we have had zero cases. We have had intramurals; one game at a time, five kids on a team, one coach, and they go on. And they’re just happier,” Garfield said.
A motion was made and passed to waive the two meeting rule, and to approve winter basketball based on recommendations with the understanding that the administration is able to cancel if necessary.