North Cook News

The Illinois High School Association's defiance of Gov. J.B. Pritzker's attempt to put off the state's upcoming high school basketball season over COVID-19 concerns was a "no-winning choice" but the right one, stated a women's college prep school basketball coach.

"We were pleasantly surprised by the IHSA," Regina Dominican High School varsity basketball coach Bob Newton told North Cook News. 

"I know there is no winning choice but [we] would prefer to play," said Newton.

Pleasant Plains Girls High School Basketball team, 2020 Regional Champions, in February | facebook.com/123149144387792/

Had Pritzker's attempts to put off the season been successful, that might not have been the end, stated Newton.

"Our fear is, if it is delayed, what's to prevent it from being delayed again," said Newton.

Pritzker announced in the winter safety guidelines that high school basketball and wrestling in the state would be "on hold." The decision to move basketball from the "medium risk" category to "higher risk" came from the governor after guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health,  . 

The day after Pritzker's announcement, IHSA's Board of Directors voted in a special meeting to proceed with the basketball season as scheduled. The board also set schedules for other sports, including "low risk sports" such as swimming and diving, cheerleading, bowling and gymnastics, according to an IHSA announcement.

The IHSA made those decisions following guidance from its Sport Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC) and set the boys and girls basketball season to begin with practice on Nov. 26, according to the announcement.

Play can begin "within an Illinois COVID Region or within a conference" on Nov. 30, the announcement said.

The IHSA announcement outlines guidelines stating that teams will follow limitations that allow a maximum of 31 games and masks will be worn by players, coaches, and officials during play.

"It will become a local school decision to determine if a school will allow their basketball teams to participate following the guidelines developed by the SMAC," said the IHSA announcement.

Since the IHSA announcement, fewer than 34 high schools are certain their basketball seasons will start this month, according to Chicago Sun-Times sources.

For Newton, all the drama between the governor's office and the IHSA hit very close to home.

"As a parent of a senior, who lost her soccer season, junior prom and all summer activities, playing for her school tennis team this fall was a saving Grace," Newton said, "We had no issues with her tennis or my freshman son's cross country. I know both were outdoors but regardless they had no sick teammates so they had a season."

Newton and coaching staff at Regina Dominican certainly have a preference.

"We at Regina would prefer to play," said Newton, "Be it winter or spring, there will be a risk until everyone has had a vaccine. which isn't going to happen until next school year if we are lucky."