BUFFALO, N.Y. — School districts are preparing for the fall in the face of rising COVID numbers, meanwhile the clock is ticking even louder for high school sports.
Athletes will begin preseason training for fall sports across Section VI next week. As of Monday, the approach is moving forward with a full slate, including fans in the stands and state championships. Last year, athletes faced a series of stops, starts and a ton of changes, including no spectators for much of the year and reduced or rescheduled seasons.
This year, Section VI Executive Director Mark Difilippo says the approach across New York's public school athletic sections is full steam ahead, but will be ready to adjust as needed.
"We had our state meetings two weeks ago and everybody across the state was on board in terms of moving forward with state championships and that's the message we've been giving out to our athletic directors in our communities here in Section VI that we are moving forward with business as usual," Difilippo said.
One thing that is working to their advantage is the fact that all fall sports, with the exception of gymnastics, volleyball and swimming, are outdoor sports.