UIL cancels all spring sports, state championships amid COVID-19 fallout

By Travis M. Smith | KBEC Sports

Finality came by way of UIL press release Friday afternoon — high school sports are finished for the 2020-21 season.

The announcement was delivered at little surprise following a directive issued earlier in the day by Governor Greg Abbott, who requested all Texas public and private schools, universities and college campuses remain closed through the end of the spring semester.

UIL Executive Director Dr. Charles Breithaupt stated in the press release that the staff had “been working hard on plans to resume activities this spring, but without schools in session, interscholastic activities cannot continue.”

The governing body for high school sports in Texas previously expressed hope in Mid-March that schools could return to action on May 4.

“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,” Breithaupt added. He noted the UIL will now turn its attention toward the 2020-2021 school year.

According to the UIL release, all remote instruction and coaching guidelines will remain in place.

Surprise decision or not: A spring with no soccer, track-and-field, baseball, softball, golf or tennis stinks. A sports-less spring also brings an unimaginable end to high school playing careers for senior student-athletes and their families.

It leads to a heartbreaking end for the vast majority of those seniors. Despite oft-shared social media posts, well over 90 percent of high school seniors will never play to another whistle, buzzer or finish out an inning.

The Class of 2020 stepped onto their respective fields for the very last time on Thursday, March 12. Their high school careers are now over. Typing that sentence is a punch to the gut.

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KBEC 1390AM/99.1FM and KBEC Sports will continue its Salute a Senior program over the ensuing four weeks, as Waxahachie High wrapped up its featured week on Friday. Next up is Red Oak (April 20), followed by Ennis (April 27), Midlothian (May 4) and Midlothian Heritage (May 11). 

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Travis M. Smith, @Travis5mith

tsmith@kbec.com