THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, JunE 26, 2020 Page 15 Mystic Valley Regional Charter School first in Mass. to cancel football season First school in state to punt away season, despite opener still three months away By Steve Freker A Malden school has become the first in Massachusetts to punt away its football season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They were the very first charter school to put down roots in the greater Boston community, over 20 years ago, when the doors swung open on Laurel Street at the former Maplewood Elementary School. Since then the Mystic Valley Regional Charter School (MVRCS) has had plenty of other firsts. The latest one came in midMarch when MVRCS became the first school in the state to announce a cancellation of classes due to the coronavirus. That announcement was made way back on March 5, a full week before a global pandemic was declared by the World Health Organization (WHO), and 11 days ahead of Governor Charlie Baker’s order closing all schools in Mass. until at least early April. First school in state to cancel football This week it happened again when it was learned that the MVRCS administration canceled the upcoming football season, the first of over 300 high school teams in all of Massachusetts to do so, citing concerns over COVID-19. According to news reports published online, a statement released by MVRCS Superintendent Alexander Dan cited a survey conducted this spring that “showed only 16 parents of players who participated in the school’s football program last year felt comfortable making a commitment to varsity football for the fall season.” This led to the administration’s decision to cancel the season and work toward creating a non-contact alternative for Mystic Valley athletes, according to the statement. According to reports, the school distributed a letter to student-athletes via social media announcing the decision to cut football for 2020, despite the season-opening kickoff being about three months away. Move is made before any MIAA decisions Also, the move was made in advance of any guidance for fall sports emanating from the overseer of high school athletics, the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA). High school athletic directors and principals have Mystic Valley second-year head coach Danny Kelly said he was surprised and disheartened by the decision to cancel the season this early, in June. In an online report, the Eagles coach said he found out Saturday, but had to keep it to himself until school families were informed. Season taken away three months in advance “It’s one thing if the MIAA said TIME OUT: Mystic Valley Regional Charter School football coach Danny Kelly and last year’s Eagle football captains. Word was out this week that Mystic Valley decided to cancel this fall’s football season. (Courtesy Photo) been anxiously awaiting news from the MIAA regarding football and fall sports in general, before deciding on how to proceed. No other school in Massachusetts had announced any decisions on fall sports to date, MVRCS being the first. Behind the scenes, a number of athletic directors and fall coaches have speculated about the potential risks of fall sports, like football and soccer, and the close contact involved with both, in practices and games. Cross-country teams and their close group running has also been cited as a potential risk, along with girls’ field hockey. Another fall sport is girls’ volleyball, played in close quarters and indoors. there was no season, we’d be OK with that. But to have this taken away from them when the season is still three months away was tough,” coach Kelly told a Boston newspaper in an online report. “We were just getting ready to start our offseason conditioning program. Then I have to tell them that their season was over, it was taken away from them. It was not an easy thing to do, especially for the seniors.” If Mystic Valley’s decision proves to be a harbinger of what is to come and fall sports becomes a casualty of the Coronavirus, it would be a painful, one-two punch to high school sports, following the cancellation of the spring sports season, which was announced in late April.
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