High school football in Western New York is a weekend tradition in the fall that many people in local communities look forward to once the school year gets underway.
However, the 2020 high school football season is still up in the air as the coronavirus pandemic has thrown a wrench into every day life across the globe.
While schools may be able to re-open come September for classes, there could be plenty of changes in rules and regulations for the students and the daily activities they may encounter. One area of school life that could be drastically altered is athletics and whether or not schools will be able to allow their students to participate in sports.
Section VI football co-chairman Jay Sirianni took the time on Wednesday to join the Howard and Jeremy Show to discuss the future of high school football in Western New York, and other topics of discussion in high school athletics.
Here is some of what he had to say:
Sirianni on the challenge of preparing for the high school season during the COVID-19 pandemic:
"The challenges are the same from every level. The guidance is coming from the top down, because we're looking at it as what's the NFL doing? They're doing Zoom meetings, they're doing install this way. I know at Southwestern, Jay Burkholder, our new head coach, is doing the same thing. He's running his install over Zoom and things like that... I wish I had answers. I was with a couple of friends last night and other coaches and football fans. They were asking questions and I don't know. I'm asking a lot of questions, I'm talking to superintendents and coaches and athletic directors. There's so many unknowns right now, but as we know, football coaches are really great at adapting and adjusting , and I think we're going to be ok."
Sirianni on adding an additional game for the high school season:
"Just the whole idea of a seven-game season? Come on. These kids work 12 months out of the year [on] football. They play other sports and the other sports are just as important, but you only get seven games. [Section VI Football Chairman] Ken Stoldt really was spearheading this, to get another game. These kids deserve this and they need the exposure, and we got it. The state voted on it and approved it, and it just so happens to come at this time of uncertainty, but we get that eighth game. Now that we have it, it's fantastic."
You can listen to the entire interview below:
