On Friday, the PIAA responded to Gov. Tom Wolf’s strong recommendation there should be no fall sports for K-12 as well as youth clubs.

Wolf made the statement on Thursday morning, putting the PIAA and youth organizations in scramble mode throughout the state.

“Based on currently known information, the Committee believes that strict adherence schools and teams to their school-adopted plans and the Governor’s School Sports Guidance should provide a reasonably safe environment for student athletes to participate in interscholastic athletics as currently scheduled.

Consistent with the advice of the PIAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee, PIAA continues to believe it can safely sponsor fall sports,” part of the statement read.

The statement also said it would like to work together with the Wolf administration.

“PIAA is asking the Governor, along with the Departments of Health and Education, to partner with us and work collaboratively to further discuss fall sports,” the PIAA said in the statement. “We are also seeking insight and discussion from the Pennsylvania General Assembly. It is clear to PIAA, the unintended consequences of canceling fall sports need to be further reviewed.”

The PIAA said in their statement they have worked diligently to develop health and safety plans in accordance with the Department of Health and Department of Education recommendations to allow students to safely return to sports.

The PIAA also said they heard the “thousands of voices of student-athletes, parents, coaches and community leaders” that connected with them after Wolf made his Thursday recommendations.

“The Board believes that the Governor’s strong recommendation to delay sports to January 1, 2021 has a potential negative impact on the students’ physical, social, emotional, and mental health,” the statement went on to say. “These issues along with the financial inability of many students to participate in any other form of non-school based athletic programs affect all students directly or indirectly.”

On Aug. 21, the PIAA Board will reconvene, but between now and then, voluntary workouts, per the Governor’s Guidance for all sports, and with local approval, may continue the PIAA added in their statement. Mandatory fall sports activities are paused for the two-week period.

“PIAA remains committed to providing a season for each of the sports during the 2020-2021 school year.”

The EPC has voted to delay the start of fall sports while the Colonial League will allow schools to decide. Some are planning to start as scheduled while others will delay.