The Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) and the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) have the exact same decision to make about whether or not high school sports should be played this fall.
But, it is almost bewildering to think that they could each reach a different conclusion.
Both organizations oversee thousands of high school athletes who are scheduled to travel to communities all over our state and compete against other athletes. The decision to play or not to play is probably the toughest decision those who lead these organizations will ever make in their positions.
The decisions of both these organizations also has larger ramifications for just about every town and city in our state.
But, as of Tuesday morning, it appears we may be headed in the direction where one organization decides to play and the other one decides to sit it out. Football season is still scheduled to start on time for the schools in the MAIS. The four private schools in Washington County are scheduled to begin their seasons on Aug. 21.
Football season in the MHSAA, meanwhile, has already been pushed back two weeks to Sept. 4. Many public school districts, like Greenville, have decided to have “virtual” or “distance” learning for the first few months of the school year.
It is hard to justify allowing kids to get on a bus and swap sweat with athletes from another town but not allow them to enter a classroom.
On Monday evening, there was also a report out that said the Jackson Public School District had decided to not have high school sports this fall. This report has since be unsubstantiated, but the tea leaves certainly suggest there may be something to to it.
I am not sure what the right answer is about whether or not high school sports should be played, but I believe that the people who run both the MAIS and the MHSAA should be on the same page.
I also believe that the people who run both the MAIS and MHSAA are men and women of good faith who have the best interest of the young athletes at heart.
But, I don’t understand how a decision this important can be made and both sides reaching totally different conclusions.
Are they talking to the same medical experts?
If one organization knows something that the other organization does not, then they should tell them.
After the decisions to play or not to play are made, I am sure leaders from both the MAIS and the MHSAA will point to their medical experts to justify why they made their decisions. But, I believe all of these medical experts should be working together to help these organizations reach the same conclusion.
If playing high school sports this fall is worth the risk, then it should be played.
If, however, high school sports are indeed too risky to be played this fall, then they should not be played.
David W. Healy is sports editor of the Delta Democrat-Times. He can be reached at dhealy@ddtonline.com.
