NJSIAA Winter Sports Guidelines Hold Up Indoor Track Until February

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

State associations have to make some complicated and painful decisions about the winter season as COVID cases are multiplying across the country. 

On Thursday, the NJSIAA released its final plan for winter sports and delayed everything to 2021. That could buy some extra time for vaccine manufactures to get ready to deliver doses to the public. 

What it means for New Jersey, where indoor track and field is huge, is that the season will not start until Feb. 1. Competition may begin on Feb. 16 and the season will end -- without a state championship -- by March 27. 

That will mean three consecutive seasons in New Jersey -- outdoor track 2020, cross country 2020 and indoor track 2021 - without a state championship event. 

Basketball games in New Jersey won't start until Jan. 26. 

In New York, indoor track has been put into the "low and moderate risk" category and schools can begin pratice, where it's feasible, on Nov. 30. Basketball in New York, one of the "high risk" sports, can start Jan. 4. 

In North Carolina, where cross country season began this week and a state meet date of Jan. 23 has been set, the indoor season has been canceled.