By Brian Argabright
Del Rio High School’s winter sports programs may see an abrupt and unfortunate end to their seasons thanks to COVID-19.
Due to the continued high positivity rate regarding COVID in the community, the San Felipe Del Rio CISD has not reinstated its UIL activities and may not do so until next week, according to athletic director Ric Smith.
Smith said that despite seeing the district’s antigen tests on its winter athletes this week come out “very well” for the district, he said the community’s positivity rate, plus the positivity rate of towns Del Rio would need to travel to for competition, is still too high for the group tasked with determining when UIL activities would return.
That delay would essentially mean the end of Del Rio’s winter sports teams competing in the postseason. The first team affected would be the high school’s swim team, which could be unable to compete in the District 30-6A swim meet that is set to take place this weekend if the suspension continues.
“As things are being postponed, we are having to look at the calendar and we have to make up games on the next available date. The delays mean playing more games in a week to catch up, and we are not going to play four or five games a week for sure. It’s just not safe for anyone involved,” Smith said Wednesday. “If this suspension gets extended another week, we’ll have to basically ‘no contest’ or forfeit games.”
District certification for girls basketball is Feb. 9 while the boys’ date is Feb. 16. Schools in Laredo and Eagle Pass have continued playing or face minimal make-up games. By the end of this week, the Queens will need to make up nine games and the Rams will need to make-up six games.
Smith added that the Queens could play three or four games to wrap up their season, but wouldn’t be eligible to compete in the playoffs.
“We don’t have a drop dead date right now for winter sports except for swimming. They are not going to be able to swim at their district meet unless something changes,” Smith said. “Girls basketball would need to play next week to somewhat finish their season. The boys have to play at least the next week to finish their season, but there would be some no contests or forfeitures involved. That’s on us. Eagle Pass and Laredo are all back to playing now. We’re the ones right now who aren’t playing, but we don’t want to hold the rest of the district up.”
As for the spring sports, Smith said there is still plenty of time for them to start play and compete in all their district games. He said non-district contests could be affected if sports don’t resume next week.
“If we don’t get started next week, then our local golf tournament would be canceled or rescheduled. We also have our local track and a local tennis tournament the following week and those would need to be rescheduled,” Smith said.
If spring sports do resume soon, Smith said the next big hurdle would be spring break, which was when the 2020 sports season eventually ended. He said all the district’s and community’s work could be undone if no one learns the lessons from the toll the outbreak following the winter break has had on the community.
“When spring break comes around, we have to make sure our coaches and students behave and avoid big gatherings or we’ll be right back in the same situation we are right now,” Smith said. “Suspending these activities has been a tough decision, but when looking at lives compared to games, lives are ultimately more important.”
