By S. Quinn DeJoy and J. Murrer

Feb. 17, 2021: Governor Cuomo and the State Department of Health announced in late January that high-risk High School sports could start on February 1st. The local Department of Health released their safety guidelines for all high-risk sports last week. The Bronco basketball and ice hockey teams will start games this week as they begin their marathon season that will take place over 21 days. The team will also be allowed to practice seven days a week because of the shortened season.

At the Bronxville School Board meeting on February 11th, Athletic Director Joe Haven furthered explained the guidelines for winter sports.  

For basketball, there will be no fans except for senior recognition night, when each senior will be able to have two people attend the ceremony and game. The team members will sit on the bleachers instead of chairs to maintain social distance, and players will come dressed for the game as they are not allowed in the locker rooms.

At half time, the visiting team will stay in the gym, and the home team will go out in the hall. As an additional precaution, the ball will be periodically sanitized during the game. If anyone on the team comes down with COVID, the whole team will have to quarantine for ten days.

The sports that are included as high-risk are basketball, ice hockey during the winter season, football in the Fall II season, and lacrosse in the spring. Girls’ swimming, which is not considered a high-risk sport, will also compete during Fall ll. There will be no winter state championships.

The following rules will be followed by all teams in Conference 3.

For all sports, athletes, and coaches must wear a mask at all times, and when not competing, maintain social distance. If an athlete is having difficulty breathing with a mask on, they must come off the playing field before adjusting their mask. Ice hockey, football, and lacrosse players will have face shields in addition to the mask and be required to have mouth guards. 

The athletes must have six days of practice before playing a game except for football, which will have to have ten practices. The maximum games for basketball, lacrosse, and baseball will be twelve games, and football will be seven games.

When the team travels to other schools, a bus will be provided, and the maximum amount of people on the bus is 20. The players are seated in a manner that is socially distant and must have their masks on at all times. This was the protocol in the fall and proved to be very safe.

The latest sports seasons are as follows:

Winter low risk sports (indoor track and field, squash, and skiing): January 4-March 14.

Winter high risk sports (basketball, ice hockey): February 1-March 14.

Fall ll sports (football and girls’ swimming): March 8-April 25.

Spring sports (lacrosse, outdoor track and field, and baseball): April 19-June13.

The Bronco boys’ basketball started off their season on February 16 against Alexander Hamilton.  The Broncos lost 67-63   Kelty scored 25 points and Swenson scored 13. 

The Bronco girls’ basketball team will play their first game on 2/20 at home against Palisades Prep. The ice hockey players will have their opening game on 2/18 at home against White Plains.

Go Broncos.