Kishwaukee River Conference members decide to put basketball season on hold

Put the six Kishwaukee River Conference schools on the list that will not proceed with a winter boys and girls basketball season, which is scheduled to begin Monday.

The KRC announced its intentions with a news release Thursday, signed by the league’s five superintendents.

The COVID-19 pandemic has put many of the IHSA sports seasons on hold. The IHSA modified its schedule from three seasons to four in an effort to try to get all sports a chance to play.

The winter season starts with practices Monday, but most school districts will not defy orders from the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education.

In July, the IDPH rated basketball as a medium-risk sport, but two weeks ago moved it to high-risk. The IHSA initially planned to move ahead with basketball as a winter sport, but this week urged member schools not to start basketball until a meeting with Gov. JB Pritzker, the IDPH and ISBE next Thursday.

The KRC is comprised of Harvard, Johnsburg, Marengo, Richmond-Burton, Woodstock and Woodstock North. The Woodstock schools both are in District 200, which is why five superintendents signed the letter.

The letter mentioned the conflicting messages between the IHSA, IDPH and ISBE. The KRC did not want to defy the state’s health guidelines.

“The Kiskwaukee River Conference will not schedule basketball contests during the traditional basketball season (which would have begun next week). Should state regulations from the IDPH and ISBE change, the KRC would consider its options.”