GHSA makes it official: the year is done. Board of Trustees met, discussed several things

          What could have been a moderately lengthy meeting Thursday morning of the GHSA’s Board of Trustees became a chunk quicker a day earlier when Gov. Brian Kemp closed public schools for the year.

          “The governor made this meeting a lot easier,” GHSA executive director Robin Hines said after the meeting, according to a GHSA release. “There are a lot of things I planned to talk about that are no longer necessary. But there are still several issues to discuss.”

          The GHSA released its regular COVID-19 update earlier Thursday, and stated the obvious, that the 2019-20 sports year was over.

          “Given the announcement yesterday by Governor Kemp, it is with a heavy heart that I inform you that all GHSA activities and sports are cancelled for the 2019-2020 school year,” Hines wrote. “Our seniors have a great deal to be proud of and while this is not the way any of us wanted it to end, I want to thank them for a job well done.”.

          One topic discussed was somehow giving seniors another year of eligibility, almost a logistical impossibility. Other state associations on a conference call Hines participated in were against changing anything in the eight-semester rule.

          He said there were many problems with considering such a change, and noted that we have to keep in mind that what we do is scholastic in nature. Extra curricular activities are supposed to be a supplement to academics. To add another year of eligibility just for athletics is not what the GHSA is all about.”

          There was no dissent, according to the release.

          As with all meetings about the future, there were more questions than answers, including items on training, physical exams, pushing the spring schedule into the summer, applying for a loan under the CARE Act to cover basic association expenses for a few months.

          The spring meeting of the executive committee was scheduled for April 19-20, but will be delayed indefinitely in hopes that group can meet in person.