Winter sports competitions uncertain

Winter high school sports may already have competitions scheduled after Jan. 11, but whether they will be allowed to play remains uncertain.

In Gov. John Carney's weekly press conference, he was unclear whether his ban on competition sports would continue past Monday, Jan. 11.

“I think we're still wrestling with that. No pun intended,” he said, chuckling at the reference to one of the top high school winter sports, along with basketball and swimming, in which teams are ready to compete.

Teams have been practicing throughout the competition ban. Matches were canceled in December, but basketball games throughout the Henlopen Conference are scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 12, with other sports set to compete during the week.

Although fall sports played and held championship tournaments, playing outdoors is not the same as close-contact, indoor sports, Carney said.

Dr. Karyl Rattay, director of the Division of Public Health, said a decision has not been made to allow competitions after Jan. 11. “This is a decision we're grappling with and a decision has not been made yet,” she said.

Rattay said there have been some COVID-19 outbreaks among winter sports teams that have been practicing.

“It's just that indoor setting. The indoor setting for contact sports is risker,” she said. “We have some decisions to make around that, and we're not at the point yet of knowing when competition will be allowed for winter sports.”