MHSAA cancels all spring sports for 2020 season

When Governor Tate Reeves ordered schools to stay closed throughout the remainder of the spring semester, it forced the hand of the Mississippi High School Activities Association to follow suit.

The end result is a lost 2020 season for all spring sports in the Magnolia State due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.

This morning, the MSHAA Executive Committee voted to cancel all sports and activities until the start of the 2020-2021 academic year. Per MHSAA rules, competition, practice, or tryouts are not allowed while schools are closed, leaving the governing body with only one real choice.

That leaves baseball, softball, powerlifting, golf, tennis, track and field, and archery with no champions for the 2020 season.

Next up on the calendar is the start of off-season activities on June 1^st or until further notice.

In a statement from MHSAA Executive Director Don Hinton, he says, “When Governor Reeves made the announcement schools would be closed for the remainder of the current 2019-2020 school year, both MSHAA leadership and the executive committee felt the time had come to cancel all activities and athletics as well.”

He goes on to say, “This is an extremely difficult day because we know how much work, dedication, and sacrifice these students, coaches, and their families have put into these sports and activities that are unable to finish their spring seasons. We join all of our schools in anticipation of a successful return to sports and activities in the fall of 2020.”