The NYSPHSAA released a guide to “Return to Interscholastic Athletics”.
This includes, but is not limited to, new Virtual Cheer guidelines for Competitive and Game Day as well as Wrestling.
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Northport Kicks Off Athletics for All Program
The first event for Northport’s “Athletics For All” program kicked off this week with more than 40 student-athletes.
Section XI Partners with Long Island Nets and Section VIII on Anti-Racism Program
The Long Island Nets, the NBA G League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets, have launched “Team Up for Unity,” a new community program, presented by National Grid, aimed to combat racism in high school sports on Long Island, in partnership with Section XI in Suffolk County and Section VIII in Nassau County.
Through the “Team Up for Unity” program, the Nets, Section VIII and Section XI will provide high schools on Long Island access to information and helpful resources on diversity, equity and inclusion. These tools will be shared with coaches, student-athletes, superintendents, athletic directors, principals, Boards of Education and other school administrators to help them identify and combat racism in both their schools and athletic programs.
“Sports have historically played a powerful role in uniting people and often that has resulted in furthering social justice,” said Alton Byrd, Vice President of Growth Properties, BSE Global. “The Long Island Nets are proud to work alongside our partners in Nassau and Suffolk counties to combat racism in all forms, beginning at the high school level, and ensure equality is achieved across all of Long Island.”
“Interscholastic athletics is an educationally based program in our schools, and one of our goals is to cultivate the unique gifts and talents of all student-athletes free from racism and all forms of social injustice,” said Superintendent Henry L. Grishman, Nassau County Chairperson to Section VIII Athletics Committee. “’Team Up for Unity’ will allow our students to be educated in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion in order to achieve this goal.”
“Our goal is to accept and celebrate all student-athletes through one of our most coveted educational platforms – interscholastic athletes,” said Jeremy Thode Principal/Athletic Director/Section XI Diversity Equity & Inclusivity Chairperson. “The voices of our student advocates are the most effective way to ensure positive and lasting change, and it is the perfect time for our future leaders of society to be the change agents. ‘Team Up for Unity’ will help to broadcast their voices.”
Schools registered with the “Team Up for Unity” program will have the opportunity to participate in equality and anti-racism events and trainings, including chalk talks with Long Island Nets players and staff on their experiences with racism and bias, and virtual conversations with local business leaders to hear how businesses are combatting social injustices and systemic racism/bias. Participating schools will receive posters and banners highlighting resources and organizations that students and employees can contact if they experience or witness racism or bias.
Administrators will also join quarterly panels hosted by Erase Racism, and anonymous surveys will be distributed to student athletes at participating schools in order to highlight the frequency of students’ experiences with racism and bias during Long Island high school sporting events. School administrators will also host student-to-student conversations as a way for student athletes to share their views and experiences with racism.
The conversations and panel discussions on how to recognize and address racism in both school and sports will take place via Zoom and are free to the public, even to those not participating in the “Team Up for Unity” program. The first of these monthly conversations will take place on Tues., Feb. 16 with Jackie Wilson, Executive Director of Diversity and Inclusion for BSE Global, the company which manages the Brooklyn Nets, Long Island Nets and Barclays Center.
“Team Up for Unity” is also supported by Minuteman Press of Levittown. For more information on the program, including a complete schedule of upcoming virtual events, please visit www.longislandnets.com/unity.
NYSPHSAA Holds Quarterly Executive Committee Meeting
The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) held its quarterly meeting of the Executive Committee on Wednesday, February 3rd via Zoom teleconference.
The Executive Committee additionally approved the following championship venues:
- Visions FCU Veterans Memorial Arena, Binghamton (2021-2023) for Game Day Cheerleading WEST Regional Championships
- Arlington High School (2021-2023) for Game Day Cheerleading EAST Regional Championships
- Times Union Center, Albany (2023-2025) for Wrestling Championships (individual)
- Gore/North Creek (2022), Bristol/Harriett Hollister (2023) and Whiteface/Mt. Van Hoevenberg (2024) for Boys and Girls Skiing Championships
- Visions FCU Veterans Memorial Arena, Binghamton (2023-2025) for Competitive Cheerleading Championships
- The committee defeated two classification proposals which were to change the general five-sport classification cut-off numbers listed and a proposal to change the general two-division classification cut- off numbers.
- A wrestling and baseball proposal were both approved by the Executive Committee. Approval was given to modify the current appeals procedure used in the State Championships (Dual and Individual). The baseball proposal, which was initially a discussion item, was brough up from the floor to adopt the NFHS Player/Designated Hitter rule superseding the NYSPHSAA Pitcher/Designated Hitter rule adopted in 2019. The purpose it was brought up for a vote due to some member sections wanting it in place for the upcoming season. The vote was 10-2 in favor with 10 abstentions.
Committee voted on several key proposals important to the Association’s 787-member schools.
The four NYSPHSAA officers, acting on input from the 11 sections, section executive directors and member schools, announced the cancellation of the 2021 NYSPHSAA Spring State Championships. The decision will allow sections more time to schedule and conduct regular season contests.
Furthermore, the Executive Committee approved adding the language “including racial or discriminatory comments or slurs” to the Sportsmanship Officials card that is read at the beginning of each athletic contest.
The next meeting of the NYSPHSAA Executive Committee will be Wednesday, May 5th in Saratoga Springs.
2021 NYSPHSAA Spring State Championships Canceled
The four NYSPHSAA officers, acting on input from the 11 sections, section executive directors and member schools, announced the cancellation of the 2021 NYSPHSAA Spring State Championships.
The decision will allow sections more time to schedule and conduct regular season contests.
Celebrating National Girls & Women in Sports Day
Section XI is proud to celebrate February 3 as National Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD).
We honor the thousands of girls and women who are past, present and future student-athletes, coaches, officials, trainers, administrators and supporters in our section!
NGWSD was started 35 years ago by the Women’s Sports Foundation. Learn more about their org here.
Spring Section XI Football Schedules Released
Section XI has released the spring football schedule for this unique shortened season.
There will be eight league champions crowned as well as four conference champions.
All varsity games have been scheduled and are available on the Section XI schedule page here.
On April 17 the top two teams from each league will crossover with the next league, these will be the semi-finals. On April 24 the winners of the semifinals games will play for the conference championships while the other two teams will play for third place.
Section XI Wrestling Schedules Released
Section XI has released its 2020-2021 wrestling schedules.
Matches begin February 12 and will run through February 24.
All schedules are available here on SectionXI.org.
There will be a Section XI dual championship on February 26-27.
Section XI Boys and Girls Basketball Schedules Released
The 2020 Section XI boys and girls basketball schedules are officially available.
The season kicks off February 7 and ends February 24.
As previously noted, there will be a playoff tournament happening on February 26 and 27. Click here to read more about the playoff structure.
Section XI Prepares for Playoff Basketball
Section XI will have boys and girls basketball playoffs this year and will crown eight league champions and four conference champions.
Brackets will feature 16 teams in four league tournaments all based on student enrollment. The tournaments will take place on February 26 and 27.
In order to qualify for the league tournament a team must finish in first or second in their league regular season. League 1 and 2 will compete, League 3 and 4 will compete and League 5 and 6 will compete.
The shortened regular season will begin in February.