MIAA Mask Policy Will Remain In Place For Indoor Sports In MA

Don't expect to see high school basketball players pacing the court without a mask anytime soon.

Basketball players, coaches, and officials in Massachusetts will continue to follow the current masking guidelines despite the MIAA Basketball Committee voting Wednesday to recommend to the Association’s Board of Directors that basketball players and officials have the option to not wear masks during play.

A mixed message prompts a memo from the top...

Dr. Robert Baldwin, the executive director of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association sent out a memo today after what could be seen as a mixed message regarding the wearing of masks for players, coaches, and officials taking part in High School basketball games in Massachusetts.

This recommendation is well within their purview, and in this case, serves as a recommendation only to the Board of Directors. ~ Dr. Robert Baldwin, MIAA Executive Director

Baldwin: School day protocols should be consistent...

The memo, according to Baldwin, was sent to provide members with a clear message as a whole. It states that the protocols that take place within the school day should be consistent with the behaviors that occur in co-curricular activities. The memo further says that is why the MIAA has been in lockstep with DESE’s masking recommendations.

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The case numbers support the necessity of the current guidelines...

Baldwin says that during a meeting he attended yesterday, an esteemed medical doctor said that the current surge is 20 fold higher than the first surge when COVID 19 began. That being the case, Baldwin says it's not the time to be sending mixed messages.

DESE recently extended its mask requirement for all K-12 public schools in Massachusetts through February 28, 2022, based upon the current Omicron surge. It is the intent of the MIAA to stay the course as well. ~ Baldwin

The bottom line...

Student-athletes, coaches, and officials that are indoors shall be masked. 

Baldwin says that uniform compliance collectively adhered to by local authorities for ALL student-athletes throughout the Commonwealth eliminates mixed messages and continues to be the expectation during this heightened cycle of COVID 19.