Georgia high school sports canceled for 2019-2020 school year due to coronavirus
All Georgia High School Association activities and sports are canceled for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the organization announced Thursday.
There are no plans to grant an additional fifth year of eligibility to students due to the crisis.
“As sad and disappointing as this spring has been, there is a backward trickle effect and there are many unintended consequences associated with waiving this by-law,” GHSA Executive Director Robin Hines said.
The cancellation means no GHSA activities or practices are allowed until further notice.
The GHSA is awaiting guidance from the NCAA on men’s basketball recruiting and will inform the public once the association has more information.
“The culmination of all activities of a student is to lead to graduation and this will have taken place for our seniors,” Hines said. “This is not the situation any of us would like to be in but the eight-semester rule will remain in effect.”
Kemp’s shelter-in-place order is set to take effect Friday and expire April 13.
Kemp also closed all K-12 schools in the state for the remainder of the school year. Classes will continue to take place online.
Exact details of the shelter order were not given during the press conference, but the order will be published online.
“I especially want to commend the graduating seniors who have not only missed most of the spring season but prom, senior nights, awards ceremonies, possibly graduation, and spent the last few months away from their friends and classmates,” Hines said. “Our seniors have a great deal to be proud of and while this is not the way any of us wanted it to end, I want to thank them for a job well done.”
