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The University Interscholastic League announced Friday that all 2019-20 spring activities and state championships are canceled.
The announcement follows the decision from Governor Greg Abbott to keep schools shuttered through the rest of the academic year to help slow the spread of COVID-19. The UIL previously stated the earliest spring activities could resume would be May 4, coinciding with Abbott’s Executive Order.
“Our staff had been working hard on plans to resume activities this spring, but without schools in session, interscholastic activities cannot continue,” UIL Executive Director Dr. Charles Breithaupt said in the statement. “Our highest priority during this challenging time is ensuring the health and safety of our students and communities and making progress in the containment of COVID-19 in Texas. We are now turning our attention to the 2020-2021 school year.”
The cancellations mark the end of many senior student-athletes careers, both at San Marcos and across the state. The UIL boys’ state basketball championships in San Antonio were halted mid-weekend on March 12 before students were sent home. Both Rattler soccer teams had one game remaining on their schedules. The San Marcos baseball and softball teams were both primed to begin district play.
“There's a lot of people being affected by this,” San Marcos head softball coach Cathy Stoughton said following her team’s final game on March 13. “Scholarships, eligibility and with these guys too, you think for your seniors. You don't want them to lose their senior season, you don't want anybody to lose a season. So it's frustrating, but I mean, we've got to worry about what we can control.”
The UIL also said all practices, rehearsals and workouts will remain suspended until further notice but that remote instruction is still permitted. Officials will continue to work with state authorities to develop the best plan moving forward.
“I am grateful to the UIL staff for their leadership and dedication to students,” UIL Legislative Council Chair Curtis Rhodes said in the statement. “Together we will get through this and we look forward to the day students are once again able to participate in education-based interscholastic activities.”
