GHSA spring sports "on hold" awaiting decisions of Governor's office

Thursday evening Georgia Governor Brian Kemp ordered schools closed through April 24 and the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) is following suit. The GHSA is the organizing body for high school athletics and competitions in the state and has halted high school sports in Georgia since March 17 in response to the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak. In the most recent release on the GHSA website from Executive Director Robin Hines, the organization says they will inform schools of the decision on resuming the spring sports season on or before April 24. It is at that time that the Governor is expected to make a decision regarding the remainder of the school year. Obviously, time is running out for the 2020 spring sports seasons. In many cases region schedules had just begun at the time of the shut down and some regions had not yet started region slates. The opening round playoff games for soccer were set for April 21-24 on the GHSA calendar. The state baseball playoffs were scheduled to begin April 22 and the first round of the state playoffs in tennis were to be completed by April 21. Two other sports — track and field and golf — were not scheduled for state finals until mid-May but will require preliminary region events and state sectionals prior to those dates.

Gymnastics, lacrosse, riflery, and slow-pitch softball have also been impacted by the shutdown along with state literary competitions. “These are, of course, unprecedented times that call for unprecedented actions and our main concern remains the safety of all student-athletes, their families and fans,” concluded Hines in the GHSA statement.