Virus puts hold on spring sports season

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Baseball and softball diamonds, tennis courts and track facilities will be quiet for awhile with the closing of area schools due to the Corona virus concern.

In Western New York delays in getting the spring high school sports season underway are not unusual as snow packed fields and rain soaked ball diamonds occur very often.

However, this spring it is not Mother Nature but a virus – the Coronavirus – that has put a hold on the spring sports season after just one week of practice as the result of the closing of area schools.

“This is uncharted waters,” said Medina Athletic Director Eric Valley. “It’s having a huge impact and right now everything is pending. Once we restart school we can restart sports. ”

“We’re just taking it day by day,” said Albion AD Adam Krenning. “There area a lot of variables but we do have time and everybody hopes we’ll be back soon.”

“It’s going to be interesting.” said Lyndonville AD Jim Zeliff. “The Genesee Region League ADs met via text conference Saturday evening and right now everything is put on pause. There are a lot of unknowns but when school resumes we are probably looking at a condensed schedule. We’ll just try to get in all we can and salvage what we can.”

Zeliff added that Section V officials have stated that no spring sports contests in that section will begin until at least April 14. In addition, Section V leagues, including the G-R are requested to submit by Friday a scheduling plan for resuming competition by April 14.

The Niagara-Orleans League season was scheduled to begin the first week of April with tennis getting going on the 1st, baseball on the 2nd, softball on the 6th and track on the 9th.

The G-R likewise was scheduled to begin league competition after the first of April.

Although the resumption of practice looks to be several weeks away the HUB looks to get ready for that resumption by starting to do its series of annual diamond previews on Tuesday.