https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/sports/high-school/2020/10/28/newmarket-forfeits-nh-soccer-playoffs-opponents-wont-wear-masks/6052961002/
Newmarket forfeits NH soccer playoffs as opponents won't wear masks
Ryan O'Leary
Portsmouth Herald
The Newmarket High School boys and girls soccer teams opted out of the Division IV state tournaments this week because their opponents would not agree to wear masks per its school policy during the coronavirus pandemic.
When the state’s high school soccer tournaments were announced last week, Newmarket High School was on both Division IV brackets — the boys scheduled to play Portsmouth Christian Academy in Dover on Monday, and girls scheduled to travel to rival Epping on Tuesday.
Those games never happened.
Newmarket opted out of the tournaments after their opponents would not agree to wear masks during competition, Newmarket Superintendent Dr. Sarah Givens confirmed Tuesday. Since the start of the school year, Newmarket’s protocols have required face coverings at all public gatherings — inside the school, in the parking lot, on playing fields and buses.
“We do this willingly because as a community we believe that it is our responsibility to do whatever is necessary to mitigate the impact this virus has on others and provide a safe learning environment for all staff and students,” Givens said. “Given that our opponents’ protocols do not require face coverings while playing sports and that social distancing is not possible when playing soccer, we will not participate in the upcoming tournament."
The NHIAA’s statewide guidelines for interscholastic play during the pandemic allow, but do not mandate, wearing face coverings during competition. The state allowed each school district to create their own protocols with COVID-19 case numbers varying from community to community.
“We are disheartened that our pandemic safety protocols will result in us being unable to play in the tournament, but we feel comfortable that this is the right choice for our entire school community at this time," Givens said. "We respect the difficult decisions each community must make during this time and wish all participants the very best.”
The Division IV soccer tournaments continued this week without the defending champion Newmarket boys, and a solid girls team that had only lost to non-league competition this fall. The girls played six regular season games, all with opponents wearing face coverings, and that included a game at Epping Oct. 7.
Portsmouth Christian and Epping are among schools that opted not to wear face coverings during post-season games.
Epping athletic director Ben Bourgoin said the NHIAA instructed schools to follow protocols based on CDC and DHHS recommendations at the start of the tournament, and those recommendations do not require masks for athletes during physical activity.
“Newmarket has a policy for their players to wear masks,” Bourgoin said. “We fully support opposing schools’ policies for their own student-athletes, and we were looking forward to our match-up with Newmarket in the playoff tournament. We did play one game against Newmarket with masks on. However, we also canceled a game against Newmarket earlier this season because of their mask policy.
“We are disappointed that the game was not played. Our players and coaches were not looking for a forfeit. We lost out on a game. Our hope all along was that the game would be played, with Newmarket athletes abiding by their school’s policies, and our athletes abiding by our school’s policies.”
Compromises between school districts have been common during the state tournaments, from teams agreeing to wear masks, to teams trading home playoff games for neutral sites due to travel restrictions. In Newmarket’s case, no compromise could be made. The Mules’ opponents insisted on taking their masks off between the white lines, while Newmarket stood firm with keeping theirs on.
The Portsmouth Christian boys and Epping girls advanced via forfeit. Newmarket athletic director Jamie Hayes said the Mules had 12 seniors on the boys team and six on the girls team.
Since September, the number of cumulative cases of COVID-19 have nearly tripled in Newmarket, Givens said, with seven active cases as of Tuesday and over 40 members of Newmarket’s school community currently in quarantine. Those numbers made the face covering discussion non-negotiable, she said.
“Our plan and related protocols were developed based on the highest standards of safety as assurance that our schools would remain safe for our staff and students,” she added. “There is great value to having students learn on campus with their teachers, and we are taking all measures necessary to continue doing so.”
Newmarket High has conducted remote learning the past two weeks due to a potential exposure among students and staff.
Portsmouth Christian’s protocols left face coverings up to each individual athlete during games. Athletic director Derek Summers said two of his teams voluntarily played games this season against opponents that required face coverings, including a girls soccer game against Newmarket Sept. 29. He said those athletes had mixed experiences.
“There were several athletes and families concerned about the possible dangers of wearing a mask while exercising and they chose to withhold their athletes from competition in those games,” Summers said. “Because our athletes have not trained in masks this fall and based on our experiences competing in them, PCA holds to New Hampshire’s, NHIAA’s and our school policies. Changing standards and requiring masks for a tournament game at this point is unfair and, based on our assessment, not required.
“PCA puts athletes’ health and safety at the forefront. PCA does employ a robust set of protocols for our students to be on campus: from screening to spacing to masking to cleaning. Students are not allowed on campus for even the mildest of symptoms. We confirm our daily screenings before every arrival. Once on campus, the only time students are not masked is when seated and separated by 6 feet or more, while eating, and while playing sports.”
Newmarket forfeits NH soccer playoffs as opponents won't wear masks
Ryan O'Leary
Portsmouth Herald
The Newmarket High School boys and girls soccer teams opted out of the Division IV state tournaments this week because their opponents would not agree to wear masks per its school policy during the coronavirus pandemic.
When the state’s high school soccer tournaments were announced last week, Newmarket High School was on both Division IV brackets — the boys scheduled to play Portsmouth Christian Academy in Dover on Monday, and girls scheduled to travel to rival Epping on Tuesday.
Those games never happened.
Newmarket opted out of the tournaments after their opponents would not agree to wear masks during competition, Newmarket Superintendent Dr. Sarah Givens confirmed Tuesday. Since the start of the school year, Newmarket’s protocols have required face coverings at all public gatherings — inside the school, in the parking lot, on playing fields and buses.
“We do this willingly because as a community we believe that it is our responsibility to do whatever is necessary to mitigate the impact this virus has on others and provide a safe learning environment for all staff and students,” Givens said. “Given that our opponents’ protocols do not require face coverings while playing sports and that social distancing is not possible when playing soccer, we will not participate in the upcoming tournament."
The NHIAA’s statewide guidelines for interscholastic play during the pandemic allow, but do not mandate, wearing face coverings during competition. The state allowed each school district to create their own protocols with COVID-19 case numbers varying from community to community.
“We are disheartened that our pandemic safety protocols will result in us being unable to play in the tournament, but we feel comfortable that this is the right choice for our entire school community at this time," Givens said. "We respect the difficult decisions each community must make during this time and wish all participants the very best.”
The Division IV soccer tournaments continued this week without the defending champion Newmarket boys, and a solid girls team that had only lost to non-league competition this fall. The girls played six regular season games, all with opponents wearing face coverings, and that included a game at Epping Oct. 7.
Portsmouth Christian and Epping are among schools that opted not to wear face coverings during post-season games.
Epping athletic director Ben Bourgoin said the NHIAA instructed schools to follow protocols based on CDC and DHHS recommendations at the start of the tournament, and those recommendations do not require masks for athletes during physical activity.
“Newmarket has a policy for their players to wear masks,” Bourgoin said. “We fully support opposing schools’ policies for their own student-athletes, and we were looking forward to our match-up with Newmarket in the playoff tournament. We did play one game against Newmarket with masks on. However, we also canceled a game against Newmarket earlier this season because of their mask policy.
“We are disappointed that the game was not played. Our players and coaches were not looking for a forfeit. We lost out on a game. Our hope all along was that the game would be played, with Newmarket athletes abiding by their school’s policies, and our athletes abiding by our school’s policies.”
Compromises between school districts have been common during the state tournaments, from teams agreeing to wear masks, to teams trading home playoff games for neutral sites due to travel restrictions. In Newmarket’s case, no compromise could be made. The Mules’ opponents insisted on taking their masks off between the white lines, while Newmarket stood firm with keeping theirs on.
The Portsmouth Christian boys and Epping girls advanced via forfeit. Newmarket athletic director Jamie Hayes said the Mules had 12 seniors on the boys team and six on the girls team.
Since September, the number of cumulative cases of COVID-19 have nearly tripled in Newmarket, Givens said, with seven active cases as of Tuesday and over 40 members of Newmarket’s school community currently in quarantine. Those numbers made the face covering discussion non-negotiable, she said.
“Our plan and related protocols were developed based on the highest standards of safety as assurance that our schools would remain safe for our staff and students,” she added. “There is great value to having students learn on campus with their teachers, and we are taking all measures necessary to continue doing so.”
Newmarket High has conducted remote learning the past two weeks due to a potential exposure among students and staff.
Portsmouth Christian’s protocols left face coverings up to each individual athlete during games. Athletic director Derek Summers said two of his teams voluntarily played games this season against opponents that required face coverings, including a girls soccer game against Newmarket Sept. 29. He said those athletes had mixed experiences.
“There were several athletes and families concerned about the possible dangers of wearing a mask while exercising and they chose to withhold their athletes from competition in those games,” Summers said. “Because our athletes have not trained in masks this fall and based on our experiences competing in them, PCA holds to New Hampshire’s, NHIAA’s and our school policies. Changing standards and requiring masks for a tournament game at this point is unfair and, based on our assessment, not required.
“PCA puts athletes’ health and safety at the forefront. PCA does employ a robust set of protocols for our students to be on campus: from screening to spacing to masking to cleaning. Students are not allowed on campus for even the mildest of symptoms. We confirm our daily screenings before every arrival. Once on campus, the only time students are not masked is when seated and separated by 6 feet or more, while eating, and while playing sports.”