photo by: Carter Gaskins

Firebirds leap out of the dugout in celebration of a perfect game from Tatum Clopton on Monday, April 2019.

There will not be a spring sports season in 2020.

Due to the threat of coronavirus, KSHSAA announced on Wednesday that all spring championships, competitions and festivals for the remainder of this school year were canceled. The announcement came one day after Gov. Laura Kelly closed Kansas’ public and private K-12 schools for the rest of the spring semester, while moving education online throughout the state.

“The KSHSAA recognizes the value of school activities for all students and school communities,” KSHSAA wrote in a release. “But the current situation does not permit the opportunity for school activities to take place in a manner that is consistent with the very reason school activities exist.”

Also in the release, KSHSAA strongly discouraged any non-school activity participation at this time in an attempt to mitigate transmission of the coronavirus. The decision came six days after all state basketball tournaments were canceled following the conclusion of the quarterfinal round.

Local spring sports teams were originally slated to begin play this week. Free State softball and Lawrence High girls track, in particular, were both seeking a third consecutive state title after winning their respective crowns in 2018 and 2019.