Section XI to Postpone All Interscholastic Athletics Until 2021, Will Operate with Three Seasons from January through June

In conjunction with its Athletic Council, County Athletic Directors, Safety Committee and Suffolk County Executive Board, Section XI will be postponing all sports until January 4 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among the reasons for this decision are the potential for increased positive cases of COVID-19, the health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches, officials and staff members, a reduced number of spectators, a lack of locker room and facility use, increased costs in transportation and security for school districts and equity among all school districts.

Section XI’s Athletic Council voted this week to postpone the fall season and condense all three seasons – fall, winter, spring – from January through June. Section XI will run three complete seasons for the varsity, junior varsity and modified levels. These seasons will allow for all teams to play an adapted season with a culminating championship event.

“While this was a difficult decision, we feel it was the best move for the health and safety of everyone involved,” said Section XI Executive Director Tom Combs. “We still have a lot of hard work ahead in planning and executing on the three seasons across six months in 2021, but we look forward to the challenge and collaboration with our member schools and providing an impactful experience for our student-athletes and coaches.”

The seasons will run as follows:

Varsity and JV

• Season 1 (Winter), January 4- February 27
• Season 2 (Fall), March 1- May 1
• Season 3 (Spring), April 26- June 19

Modified sports

• Season 1 (Winter), January 4- February 6
• Season 2 (Late Winter), February 8- Mar 20
• Season 3 (Fall), March 22- May 8
• Season 4 (Spring), May 10- June 12

Section XI will continue to provide information on health and safety in accordance to rules and regulations provided by the New York State Public Health Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA). Along with the NYSPHSAA, we continue to gather information pertaining to COVID-19 and are committed to maximizing the interscholastic athletic opportunities for students across our county.