The coronavirus has claimed the season of a high school winter sport before the season even started.
Waterford School has canceled basketball for boys and girls due to the sport being held indoors, and environment where COVID-19 is known to spread more easily. The rising coronavirus case count in Utah was also a factor in the decision.
"Waterford School’s top priority is to safely remain open for on-campus learning, Waterford Head of School Andrew Menke said in a statement to The Salt Lake Tribune. "The protocols that have been put in place this year that allow our in-person model to succeed are based on key health and safety principles—two of which are distancing and masking.
“Given the nature of a higher risk indoor sport, like basketball, along with the rising state-wide positive COVID case count, we have made the difficult decision to cancel our basketball programs this year for the health and safety of our community.”
Waterford informed the Utah High School Activities Association of its decision to cancel the basketball seasons Thursday afternoon, a UHSAA official told The Tribune.
Waterford, which competes in 2A, had already canceled several girls volleyball games this season. That team has not played a game since Sept. 15, per its schedule on MaxPreps. The girls volleyball team does not plan on competing in the state tournament next month, per the school.
Alex is an expat from Los Angeles who started his journalism career in 2013 after attempting, and failing, to become the next great rock star. He most recently covered local sports in Chico.