'Higher-Risk' Sports To Resume In The Hudson Valley

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Athletes and fans in the Hudson Valley will be pleased to hear that officials will allow so-called "higher-risk" sports to resume starting Feb. 1.

These activities include, but are not limited to, football, wrestling, ice hockey, rugby, basketball, contact lacrosse, volleyball, martial arts, and competitive cheer/dance.

The decision was made after officials from Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties reviewed the state's updated "Interim Guidance for Sports and Recreation duringthe COVID-19 Public Health Emergency," which was issued Jan. 22.

There has been increasing pressure on state officials to loosen the restrictions.

"Many people have contacted my office in support of playing sports," Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus said.

Following discussion with the New York State Association of County Health Officials and local public health officials, the county executives decided to authorize higher-risk sports — both scholastic and non-scholastic — to proceed, effective Feb. 1, at the sole discretion of the governing school district or non-scholastic athletic organization.

"It is up to each school district to decide whether to allow their students to participate in high-risk sports," Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell said in the announcement. "The health and safety of students, staff and the local community during this pandemic must be each district’s first priority. What works in one district does not necessarily work in another."

As sports start back up, the county health departments will also monitor whether there has been a more-transmissible variant of coronavirus identified in the area, as well as the percent of local residents that test positive.

"We as a county – and as a region – want our children to have the opportunity to play, and we will continue to be vigilant for the sake of all involved," said Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro.

In a joint statement, the seven county executives said:

Our region agrees that sports provide many positive impacts for a student’s social, physical, and emotional wellbeing and should be authorized whenever possible. However, COVID-19 transmission rates around the state and throughout the Hudson Valley region demonstrate the critical nature of proper safety precautions to limit the continued spread of the virus in our communities.

"As a 20-year youth sports coach, I understand and fully appreciate the value of sports competition to the well-being of our young people. I am proud that our region was able to craft a plan that enables schools and athletic organizations to let our youth play," said Rockland County Executive Ed Day.

As school districts and athletic organizations make their determinations on how to proceed, they must keep three things in mind:

• School districts and non-scholastic organizations that will be organizing sporting activities are responsible for oversight and compliance with all published state guidance, including relevant safety protocols. All requirements outlined in the Jan. 22 update to the Interim Guidance for Sports and Recreation must be followed by sports teams, recreation activities, and facilities where games and practices are held. League staff, school athletic directors, sports facility directors, coaches, and parents are strongly encouraged to review this guidance and take steps to make sure current team and league operations align with this updated guidance.
• Parents, coaches, and athletes should be fully informed and affirmatively consent to participate in these activities understanding the risk of disease transmission.
• Surveillance testing programs may be considered, but are not required as a means to minimize the spread of disease within these activities.

"Having enjoyed and benefitted from athletics programs both as a student and as an adult, I very much appreciate the role high school sports plays in the development of well-rounded, healthy young people. However, we remain in the midst of a serious global pandemic, and it’s critical that our local school districts, athletes and families exercise ongoing diligence and wise judgment in determining when, where and how to mount practices and games," said Sullivan County Manager Joshua Potosek. "We can’t risk losing the progress we are making in fighting this virus and reopening our schools and communities."

Everyone knows there's no quick fix, Westchester County Executive George Latimer pointed out.

"But we also know that science has shown us, time and time again, that certain actives can resume with proper precautions put in place," Latimer said. "Today, I stand with my fellow Hudson Valley County Executives in support of sports resuming in schools. To be clear, there will be protective protocols in place, and these additional precautions are to protect the athletes. But, I am in favor of providing our children with some normalcy so that they can begin to heal from this horrific pandemic. The resumption of sports will be important for the continued development and mental well-being of our young people - we must never forget them in the decisions we make.”