Saint Paul Public Schools' Spring Athletics Update For March 25

Press release from Saint Paul Public Schools:

March 26, 2021

Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) is excited to resume athletics and other extracurricular activities for our students this spring. The following high school sports will be offered:

• Adapted Bowling | Co-Ed
• Adapted Softball | Co-Ed
• Badminton | Girls
• Baseball
• Golf | Boys and Girls
• Lacrosse | Boys and Girls
• Softball | Girls
• Tennis | Boys
• Track and Field | Boys and Girls

Free sports physicals are available at SPPS Health Start Clinics.

Spectator Policy & Non-Conference Play

For the first time this school year, spectators will be allowed for baseball, golf, lacrosse, softball, tennis, and track and field. Spectators will be in a designated area at least 12 feet from the athletes and playing area, with capacity limits of 250 people outdoors. Face coverings and social distancing will be required for all spectators.

Due to venue limitations, spectators will not be allowed for badminton, adapted bowling or adapted softball, with the exception of personal care attendants and caregivers at adapted events.

Also returning this spring, non-conference competitions will be allowed.

SPPS takes the health and safety of our student athletes, staff and spectators seriously, and will follow all district, Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) guidelines regarding youth athletics during COVID-19.

Middle School Athletics

SPPS has made the difficult decision not to offer middle school sports this spring. Several challenges, including staff and facility availability, transportation, and participation levels in middle school sports, make SPPS unable to offer any middle school sports this school year.

We understand how hard this decision is on our middle school students and families, and encourage middle school students to participate in other extracurricular activities this spring. We are working toward resuming middle school athletics in the fall.

Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) is excited to resume athletics and other extracurricular activities for our students this spring. The following high school sports will be offered:

• Adapted Bowling | Co-Ed
• Adapted Softball | Co-Ed
• Badminton | Girls
• Baseball
• Golf | Boys and Girls
• Lacrosse | Boys and Girls
• Softball | Girls
• Tennis | Boys
• Track and Field | Boys and Girls

Free sports physicals are available at SPPS Health Start Clinics.

Spectator Policy & Non-Conference Play

For the first time this school year, spectators will be allowed for baseball, golf, lacrosse, softball, tennis, and track and field. Spectators will be in a designated area at least 12 feet from the athletes and playing area, with capacity limits of 250 people outdoors. Face coverings and social distancing will be required for all spectators.

Due to venue limitations, spectators will not be allowed for badminton, adapted bowling or adapted softball, with the exception of personal care attendants and caregivers at adapted events.

Also returning this spring, non-conference competitions will be allowed.

SPPS takes the health and safety of our student athletes, staff and spectators seriously, and will follow all district, Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) guidelines regarding youth athletics during COVID-19.

Middle School Athletics

SPPS has made the difficult decision not to offer middle school sports this spring. Several challenges, including staff and facility availability, transportation, and participation levels in middle school sports, make SPPS unable to offer any middle school sports this school year.

We understand how hard this decision is on our middle school students and families, and encourage middle school students to participate in other extracurricular activities this spring. We are working toward resuming middle school athletics in the fall.

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