Rangers Athletics Of Westborough Public Schools Coronavirus Fall 2020 Planning

Press release from Westborough Public Schools:

August 22, 2020

Good Afternoon Ranger Nation:

"Thank you for your patience regarding information forthcoming about the WHS Athletics Program. We have been awaiting guidelines from state organizations (DESE/MIAA) that we hope will guide us in regards to what programs we can run, and in what capacity this fall. DESE/MIAA met on Monday, August 17th and will report to the Board of Directors at the MIAA on Wednesday, August 19th. We anticipate having more detailed information to share with you next week, but in the meantime we want to communicate to you strongly that the WPS and the Ranger Athletic department is hopeful that we will be able to provide our students with an athletic experience this fall. The health and safety of our students is at the forefront of any decisions we make. We also believe that athletics is a vital part of a students’ high school experience and we are prepared to offer programming that is in line with state and local rules and regulations.

There are 3 versions of athletics that have surfaced as options for the fall:

1- Traditional Full Seasons with MIAA competition - Traditional full fall seasons with complete schedules, offerings, and MIAA tournaments.

2- Mid Wach “Pod Style” Seasons - Condensed seasons where we play fewer games and we play in a “pod” with only 4-5 other Mid Wach Schools. There would be no non-league games and no MIAA Tournaments.

3- WPS Intramurals - robust sport offerings coached by WPS fall coaches that are all played and contained within the Westborough Public Schools.

We will provide more details once a decision has been made by the State association and our local school committee as to which style of play we are able to run. While we hope to be playing in some capacity, it is important for everyone to know that whichever version we play under, sports will not look the same as what we are all used to. There are going to be many changes to our programs this year, but we are confident that we can provide a fulfilling, creative, and fun experience for our athletes.

While we still have a lot to finalize, here are some things we know of right now:

• Any plans in this email pertain to the fall only. All plans are subject to change based on current health data. We will reassess the winter/spring sports situation in the coming months.
• If at any time WHS or Gibbons goes to a full remote learning environment, all after school activities at that school will be halted and athletics will be reevaluated.
• High School Students- We will still need a current physical on file for any student wishing to participate. If you have not already done so, please send a copy of your physical to Nurse Kelland at kellandj@westboroughk12.org, or drop one off in the main office.
• Registration for HS/MS- Once we know what sports will be offered, we will provide the registration information in another email.
• Students will be expected to provide their own PPE (masks, water bottle, hand sanitizer).
• Spectators at all games will be limited and will adhere to local and state attendance regulations.
• Activity fees will be determined once we finalize the plan for athletics. They will not exceed $200, but may be less based on the activities we are able to do.

The Rangers’ Athletics Department is excited about the possibilities for the fall sports season. Coaches have been working throughout the summer to develop ways to engage and lead our student athletes in creative and productive ways. We look forward to communicating with you further as more information is available from the State."

Stay well,

Rangers’ Athletic Department

The translated versions below are provided through Google Translate, so we apologize for any awkward phrasing or structure.

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This press release was produced by Westborough Public Schools. The views expressed here are the author’s own.