Sports News

High school seniors, coaches, athletic directors react to news that schools will remain closed

"The seniors need to mourn this, and then we can hopefully celebrate them in a very special way when the time is right."

High School Sports
High school sports aren't officially canceled yet, but it appears to be an inevitable outcome. Jim Davis/Globe Staff

By Trevor Hass

2 minutes to read

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Gov. Charlie Baker announced Tuesday that all public and private schools in Massachusetts will remain closed through the end of the school year due to the coronavirus pandemic, effectively ending the state’s high school spring sports season before it began.

The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association hasn’t made an official announcement, but the overwhelming consensus as of Tuesday is that high school-sanctioned athletics are canceled for the remainder of the academic year.

“It’s devastating,” said Pete Umbrianna, Scituate High School’s director of athletics. “I feel for all the athletes, especially our seniors. I feel for our coaches that put in all their hard work and preparation toward the start of a season.”

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Seniors, underclassmen, coaches, athletic directors, parents, and fans have all expressed major disappointment with the outcome, but the majority appear to understand why the decision was made. Grasping why it’s happening doesn’t make it any easier to cope with, however.

Patrick Roche, a standout baseball player at Boston College High School who will play at Boston College next year, called playing for BC High the best four years of his life to this point.

“It stinks that I won’t ever be able to play another game in a BC High jersey,” Roche said. “This situation has definitely been tough, but my friends and family have done so much for me to help me stay positive, and that’s all I can do in this time.”

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Ali Gill, a key contributor for the Duxbury High lacrosse team, said members of the Class of 2020 can’t help but feel as though they’ve been deprived of what was supposed to be one of the most memorable stretches of their lives.

Gill, who will play at Colby College next year, also understands why the decision was made, yet she said she and her teammates will always be left wondering what could have been.

“The seniors on the lax team this year are some of my best friends, and we are so close, and not being able to play with them one last time really stings,” Gill said. “I don’t think I have processed it yet that I will never wear a Duxbury jersey again and play with my best friends.”

High School Sports Season Massachusetts

With the news that Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker has announced that schools in the state will not be reopening this year, spring high school sports will almost definitely be canceled as well.

During the period of uncertainty, where it was unclear whether spring sports would happen, coaches and trainers helped athletes stay in shape. Workouts included running, lifting, and bike riding, and Zoom calls helped distract them from the unsettling reality.

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They waited as patiently as they could, and stayed ready, and Tuesday’s news was the dagger that they hoped would never come. There’s still a sliver of hope, before the MIAA’s official announcement, but for all intents and purposes, the spring season is canceled.

“The seniors need to mourn this, and then we can hopefully celebrate them in a very special way when the time is right,” Cohasset girls lacrosse coach Kully Reardon said. “I told them it’s not just us who this is happening to, and we all have to see the silver lining in this — we’re all healthy. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work and energy is the same.”

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