If the term “kicking the can down the road” existed in a lexicon somewhere, it would be accompanied by a picture of Governor Tom Wolf and the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association.

To rewind, we’re about two weeks removed from a shock announcement in which the Gov said that playing fall sports was not be recommended by the state. Problem is, he stopped short of making that guideline mandatory, which more or less shoved the ball into the PIAA’s court and resulted in a two-week delay for the start of sports.

Last Friday, the PIAA announced that it would pause mandatory sporting activities until August 21st, and today provided an update that serves basically no purpose other than to reiterate what I just typed:

 

It’s very clear that the PIAA does not agree with Wolf’s recommendation, but they’re too polite to tell state officials to piss off entirely.

And it’s a tough position for them to be in, because they’ve tried to be cordial and communicative with this while considering safety guidelines and making sure everything is buttoned up as we prepare for football, soccer, field hockey, and other fall sports.

The problem is that it’s currently August 14th, and at some point the adults in the room need to make a decision, because students, coaches, and parents need to know whether this is happening or not. You can decide to play or decide not to play, but at some point you must decide. 

Enjoy your weekend.