A Updated Look At The Fall Cross Country Season In New York


The start of Fall Sports is less than a week away, and many Section across the State have made their final decision on how those Season's may operate in 2020. Governor Cuomo gave the go ahead for Low and Moderate Risk Sports to begin competition in New York State on September 21st, followed by NYSPHSAA then providing guidance to individual Sections on how to safely achieve that goal. From there, the Individual Sections could opt to follow those guidelines, or to adapt a plan of their own.

A week after the guidance was delivered, NYSPHSAA mandated that "High Risk" Fall Sports would have to be moved to a "Fall II" Season to occur in March. The move was predicated on the assumption that they were far more likely to be able to get competition approved for those contests given the added time needed for planning. Some Sections have opted to merge their Low/Moderate Risk Sports to that "Fall II" Season as well. Meanwhile, as NYSPHSAA was preparing their Sections, the other three Federations were doing much the same. The PSAL was the first to cancel all Fall Sports "indefinitely," a decision made back in August. The AIS followed suit. The CHSAA is currently voting on their last Section, but look to be trying to return.

The patchwork approach to the Season will be an unusual look for New York. Even Section's that may host Seasons, will see a dramatic change to business as usual, that might amount to a season of only dual meets. Sectional Competition has been erased Statewide, a decision made known in the NYSPHSAA guidance for both the regular Fall Season, as well as "Fall II."

Check out where we stand as of 9/15, and if you see any corrections, please reach out to kbrazeil@milesplit.com to have them represented below.