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PAGE A10, KEIZERTIMES, APRIL 17, 2020 KEIZERTIMES.COM OSAA cancels spring sports season File Natalia Gonzalez sends a backhand over the net in a McNary girls tennis match last spring. BY MATT RAWLINGS Of the Keizertimes When Oregon Gov. Kate Brown made the decision on Wednesday, April 8 to close schools due to the coronavi- rus, the OSAA decided that is was best if they followed suit. Just hours after Brown’s announcement, the OSAA elected to cancel the spring sports season for 2020. “Today’s heart wrenching decision is diffi cult for all members of the OSAA fam- ily,” said Peter Weber, OSAA executive director. “We em- pathize with students and school communities, espe- cially our graduating seniors, but recognize that these cancellations will allow our collective focus to remain where it’s most needed at this time — on the health and safety of all Oregonians.” On March 18, the OSAA suspended the spring sports season initially until April 28. After the executive board held a virtual meeting on April 1, Weber was expect- ing the OSAA to have a de- cision on whether the sea- son would be canceled, or if the OSAA would attempt to provide an abbreviated season, at the board’s next meeting on April 15. But when Brown made the announcement, Weber was prepared to act quickly. “We weren’t caught off- guard. We knew this was likely coming,” Weber said. “We had made the decision that we were going to be aligned with the schools if (Brown) came out and shut things down before (the 15th), so we wouldn’t have to worry about getting ev- eryone on the board back together.” Current OSAA poli- cies that prohibit the use of school facilities will remain in effect. The policy also prevents coaches from orga- nizing or directing workouts and practices, which will re- main in effect until further notice. The executive board will meet in the coming weeks to discuss policies for sum- mer activities, along with academic eligibility con- cerns for fall 2020 that have been expressed by member schools and families. Please see OSAA, Page A9 Youth baseball/softball planning for potential season Youth Baseball president Bo BY MATT RAWLINGS Lane. Of the Keizertimes In March, the MYB board Even though the OSAA canceled the spring season of directors made the de- cision to for prep sports suspend all due to the league ac- c o r o n a v i r u s , “ We’re going to tivities until youth baseball April 29. But and softball are do whatever it after Oregon still holding out takes to have a Gov. Brown some hope. Kate Brown “My board is season, it’s just c l o s e d still very much going to look a schools for in favor of hav- the remain- ing a season lot different der of the still,” said Keiz- — Bo Lane school year er Little League McNary Youth Baseball on April 8, President Ryan President MYB made Siegel. “I am the decision talking with to cancel our District 7 staff and other league presi- their T-ball and Double-A dents about our options as a programs for this season. “Without access to school district in whole.” “We’re going to do what- fi elds, our hands were tied, ever we can to have a season, and so were the programs it’s just going to look a lot that we partner with,” Lane different,” added McNary said. As for the rest of their JBO program — which in- cludes minors, juniors, se- niors, as well as their softball teams — MYB is still wait- ing for decisions to be made at the district level. The MYB softball pro- gram is a part of Valley League Softball while the baseball programs transi- tioned to Clackamas County Junior Baseball Association (CCJBA) for the 2020 sea- son. Misty Gendharr, the pres- ident of CCJBA, said in a Facebook post that she be- lieves that the organization will have a start date in May, but it remains to be seen how it will look. Lane believes that they could still play anywhere between 12 and 18 regular season games and then have tournament play in late-July or early-August. “Everything is still up in the air. But one thing’s for sure, we want to make some- thing work,” Lane said. “It’s heartbreaking for the kids right now that they don’t get to play the game that they love.” KLL, on the other hand, made the decision in mid- March to postpone all activ- ities until May 11 — which was the recommendation from Little League Inter- national. But even after the OSAA decided to cancel the season, Siegel and the KLL board is still looking at May 11 as a plausible return date. “One of the most popular options right now is to have an extended season, possibly going into late June early to mid-July, especially for the younger divisions that are not involved with the All- Stars tournament,” Siegel said. “Plans as of now is that we are still looking at May 11th to start but that could very well change. A lot of other leagues rely on school fi elds to play games on and if those aren’t available other options will have to be pur- sued.” However, KLL’s plan will depend on how Little League International decides to move forward and if there will be a Little League World Series or not. “Our biggest hold up right now is waiting to hear what Little League Interna- tional plans on doing with the Little League World Se- ries,” Siegel said. “Their de- cision will help us fi gure out our season.” Keizertimes Wheatland Publishing Corp. 142 Chemawa Road N. • Keizer, Oregon 97303 Phone: 503.390.1051 • www.keizertimes.com MANAGING EDITOR Eric A. Howald editor@keizertimes.com SUBSCRIPTIONS One year: $35 in Marion County, $43 outside Marion County, $55 outside Oregon ASSOCIATE EDITOR Matt Rawlings news@keizertimes.com COMMUNITY REPORTER PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY Lauren Murphy reporter@keizertimes.com Publication No: USPS 679-430 ADVERTISING POSTMASTER Stephanie Wittman advertising@keizertimes.com Send address changes to: PRODUCTION MANAGER & GRAPHIC DESIGNER Andrew Jackson graphics@keizertimes.com LEGAL NOTICES legals@keizertimes.com BUSINESS MANAGER EDITOR & PUBLISHER Lyndon Zaitz publisher@keizertimes.com 2019-2020 President Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association Keizertimes Circulation 142 Chemawa Road N. Keizer, OR 97303 Periodical postage paid at Salem, Oregon Leah Stevens billing@keizertimes.com RECEPTION Lori Beyeler INTERN Brooklyn Flint facebook.com/keizertimes twitter.com/keizertimes File Jaxon DeFabis fi res to the plate for Keizer Little League in the 50/70 13-U state tournament last summer.
