State coronavirus spike forces gridiron postponement; other sports in jeopardy if schools don't reopen.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Thursday that high school football and other contact sports will be postponed until at least the spring semester.
The move, based on a spike in coronavirus cases, makes New Mexico the state the first to definitively push back football to the spring.
The New Mexico Activities Association said in a release it was working with its members on contingency plans and is working to ensure all sports can be played in this academic year, adding a tentative plan should be available on or around July 15.
"Interscholastic athletics are an important part of the overall
educational process. The NMAA will work tirelessly to ensure students
have the opportunity to participate in all sports and activities of
their choosing during the 2020-2021 school year," NMAA Executive Director Sally Marquez said in the press release.
The governor's announcement to push prep sports to the spring was among a handful of measures put forth as New Mexico continues to see a spike in COVID-19 cases. The state reported 238 new cases and six additional deaths related to the disease Thursday. According
to the New Mexico Department of Health, 14,251 people have now tested
positive for COVID-19 in the state and 533 people have died.
Non-contact sports, such as cross country, golf, tennis and perhaps even volleyball, may get a delayed start, but the governor said those season's would depend on the reopening of schools.
New Mexico on Thursday pushed high school football back to the spring based on a spike in the state's coronavirus cases.
File photo by Lou Novick
