Middletown Student-Athletes, Parents Furious With Sports Shutdown

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — An estimated 200 Middletown student-athletes — wearing their uniforms — and parents protested Sunday in front of the Board of Education building on Leonardville Road. They will rally again there at 12 noon Monday to voice their anger about the school district's abrupt decision Friday to shut down the remainder of the fall sports season — right in the middle of playoffs and on the eve of many championship games.

(There appears to be a growing protest movement of New Jersey parents fighting lockdowns: Scotch Plains-Fanwood residents are protesting Monday afternoon after the district just announced it will be all virtual for the next two months.)

Middletown cross country was supposed to compete in state sectionals on Saturday. Field hockey and soccer were scheduled to play in the state championship Tuesday. All games are off.

"I am devastated," said South head football coach Steve Antonucci in an email to parents.

"It's heartbreaking," tweeted Middletown North cross country coach Brock Silvestri. "The decision was just passed down by central office. I have few words to say to our team other than I am sorry. I am heartbroken our season ends this way."

"We are begging the administration for a solution," said Angela Cigolini, the mother of a South field hockey player. "My daughter and her teammates proudly play for South’s field hockey team and are top seed for the state title, which they also won last year. Now that they are not in school for the next three weeks, the teachers, administrators and student community are protected. What are the concerns at hand and how can we effectively address them to get all athletes on the fields to finish out the season?"

Parents are being asked to wear their Middletown school colors at today's protest. Before parents went to work Monday morning, they also left signs outside the BOE building, reading "Let Them Play" and "Let Us Play." Also, both North and South football coaches, Middletown superintendent Mary Ellen Walker and Athletic Director Rich Carroll will have a 10:30 a.m. Zoom meeting with players to explain what this means.

Middletown parents called the decision "heartbreaking," especially for seniors, and also said what Middletown schools are doing is in violation of New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) COVID rules.

"The NJSIAA clearly states that sports may continue to be played even if the school goes virtual," said Middletown football mom Susan Cerbo, who started this petition, called Let Them Play. As of Monday morning, more than 600 people have signed it. There's also this petition asking the NJSIAA to move the South Jersey Group 2 playoffs to sometime in spring 2021.

"Our student athletes worked hard all season and they deserve a chance to finish the post season," it read.

The decision from superintendent Walker came abruptly and as a total surprise on Friday afternoon: All Middletown sports, at both high schools, were canceled immediately, and will remain shut down for the rest of the season. This came the day after Walker announced that Middletown schools will not return to a full-time, in-person schedule until January 19 (the were supposed to return in mid-December).

All Middletown students are learning virtually from home at the moment.

Walker made the decision at a time when the coronavirus second wave is surging: 4,540 new cases were announced Sunday. That's even more cases than where New Jersey was in mid-April, the height of the surge, when 4,391 cases were reported on April 17.

"Rumors started flying and my daughter's field hockey practice was abruptly canceled," wrote Middletown mom Katherine Black, in an email to superintendent Walker. Black is the mother of four, including a tenth and eighth grader.

"Now, unfortunately, parents and players have been told that their season is, in fact, ended. Why are all teams suspended when there have been no cases or contact tracing on particular teams; particularly the South field hockey team that is set to win the State championship in just a week's time?"

Parents point to other New Jersey school districts that are allowing the games to continue: Wall Twp. football just bested Mater Dei Prep over the weekend. Somerville beat Woodbridge in a Friday night "thriller."

"Other districts continue to participate in sports despite the school pivoting to virtual learning," said Black. "Why can't Middletown do this as well, when the students have such a pivotal and significant conclusion to their season? They only need one more week!"

"There have been no positives cases on the girls' soccer team. The protocol has been followed for all games and practices," wrote Chris Romano, the dad of a varsity soccer player. "We understand the schools will be virtual until December 7, however, Governor Murphy has always stated virtual schooling did not prohibit you from extracurricular activities. We are five days away from a State Sectional Quarter-Final and they have worked hard all season long to stay safe so they could compete."