The Jackson Public School (JPS) District has announced the cancellation of all fall 2020 sports and co-curricular activities due to COVID-19 concerns.
As the state of Mississippi now stands at fifth per capita in positive cases, the decision to cancel sports for one of the largest school districts in the state comes as no real surprise.
Fortunately for student-athletes, JPS will be offering the following opportunities for athletic development while adhering to recommended safety guidance:
- Small group workout sessions emphasizing technique and skill development
- Highlight videos introducing senior student-athletes to college coaches
- A winter football combine to showcase senior players
- Access to a strength and conditioning advisor for all student-athletes
- Small group tumbling, stunt, and technical assistance for cheerleaders
- Small group music lessons for band members
“I know how disappointing the cancellation of sports and extracurricular activities may be for students, coaches, and parents, but the school district must make decisions that make safety our top priority,” JPS Athletic Director Daryl Jones said. “As we will not be able to host competition with teams in a way that we can copy with the guidance from all levels of government and health official, we must put safety first.”
For more information on the decision to cancel, JPS will host a virtual meeting on August 20. The information in order to partake in the meeting can be found below:
- Call 1-312-626-6799 or visit www.jackson.k12.ms.us/AthleticsZoom
- Submit Meeting ID: 858-7762-5143
- Enter the password: jpssports
This announcement from JPS comes immediately after Governor Tate Reeves implemented an executive order limiting crowd sizes at K-12 extracurricular activities across the state.
