LAUSD extends closures until May 1, adding more uncertainty to spring sports season

With the Los Angeles Unified School District announcing on Monday that it was extending school closures through at least May 1 in trying to deal with the coronavirus outbreak, there’s growing uncertainty whether the spring high school sports season will be able to resume.

“It’s so fluid,” said City Section commissioner Vicky Lagos. “We’re in wait-and-see mode. We’re still suspended.”

The 10 section commissioners of the CIF are scheduled to hold a teleconference on April 3. In their last teleconference, on March 17, they declined to make a decision on whether to cancel regional and state competitions.

“It gives us time to assess where everyone in the state is and what our options are,” said Ron Nocetti, executive director of the CIF.

Options could be discussed on what sections and leagues could do to restart their seasons, but nothing is going to happen until classes are again in session. As of now, “stay-at-home” orders remain in effect.

“I don’t see how we’re going to finish out the spring season,” Birmingham athletic director Rick Prizant said. “I don’t believe we’ll be back in school until the fall.”

The big fall sport, football, is already being affected in terms of a lack of off-season strength training for a number of students. Also of concern for coaches is a required dead period in the summer. Some want to have that canceled if classes continue to be closed for an extended period and teams are unable to work out in April, May and June.