IESA cancels remaining spring state series

The Illinois Elementary School Association announced on Friday that it was canceling its remaining state activities because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The IESA board of directors met via teleconference and made the difficult decision.

The IHSA announced last week it was holding out hope of playing a shortened spring season and its state series. IHSA executive director Craig Anderson did mention that if Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order, in effect until April 30, was extended further it likely would wipe out high school spring sports.

The IESA’s remaining spring events were the bowling state series, a scholastic bowl state series, remaining music contests and the track and field state series.

“This is a sad day for all of us associated with the IESA, our students and our member schools,” IESA executive director Steve Endsley said. “The last thing we want to do is cancel events which impact students and schools. The bowling, scholastic bowl and music events were scheduled to take place during the time when the schools were closed by mandate of the governor. The sectional track and field and state meets were scheduled for May 8-9 (girls) and 15-16 (boys), with the state meets scheduled for May 15-16 (girls) and May 22-23 (boys).

“If schools re-open on May 1, it would be practically impossible for schools to conduct practices and regular season track meets prior to the sectional meets. To ask students to compete without any practice time or regular season meets would jeopardize the health and safety of the very kids we serve. Above all, we have to remember that the COVID-19 situation is bigger than any school event.”