With the COVID-19 pandemic still ongoing and the New York State Public High School Athletic Association and Section XI delaying the start of the fall sports season to September 21 at the earliest, the school doctor administered sports physicals and nurse requalification for activity scheduled for this month at Huntington High School and next month at J. Taylor Finley Middle School are cancelled.
New dates will be announced if NYSPHSAA decides to actually begin the fall sports season on September 21. There is currently no indication if and when school sports will be permitted.
Blue Devil athletes have been training on their own throughout the summer. No school sponsored conditioning activities are permitted. Huntington coaches are all hoping that at some point during the 2020/21 school year the green light will be given to resume interscholastic athletics on the middle school and high school levels.
“This has been a very tough period for everyone, including our athletes, who have worked so hard to compete at a high level,” said Ronald Wilson, who coaches the Finley football team and the varsity indoor and outdoor track and field squads. The Blue Devil boys’ and girls’ track relay teams were expected to compete for state championships last spring, but they never got the chance.
Since the school and sports shutdown imposed last March, the gym floors at Huntington High School and Finley have been completely refinished, including new lines and logos painted on the floors and main courts. (The gym floor at Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School has also been completely renovated and relined.)
Blue Devil Stadium’s playing surface has been replaced, a new system of safety netting has been installed between the playing field and track, new goal posts have been put in place and the running track has been renovated where needed.
“Right now we are playing a waiting game,” said Georgia D. McCarthy, Huntington UFSD’s director of physical education, health and athletics. “There is nothing new to report yet. We are all anxious and hopeful that at some point we will be able to resume the sports program.”
Any new developments will be immediately reported on the district website at www.hufsd.edu and carried on Huntington UFSD’s social media platforms.