FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 17, 2021
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Adriana Rodriguez
646-241-9805
arodriguez@desalesmedia.org
John Quaglione
718-576-9180
jquaglione@desalesmedia.org
T.J. McCormack (Archdiocese of New York)
(347) 931-4943
GAME CLOCK IS TICKING ON CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS AS CITY FAILS TO RESPOND TO REQUESTS TO RESUME PLAY
Dr. Thomas Chadzutko, Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Brooklyn, and Michael Deegan, Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of New York, have sent the attached letter to New York City Health Commissioner Dr. David Chokshi calling for guidelines to be issued in order for Catholic high school high-risk sports to commence immediately.
The letter follows an announcement of a timetable for the resumption of play for the Public School Athletic League, without a clear path forward for the Catholic High School Athletic Association.
In the letter, Superintendents Chadzutko and Deegan highlight the uninterrupted operation of Catholic high schools since September which has allowed student-athletes to undergo the necessary conditioning and training to begin play. The letter requests the guidelines be fast-tracked, with an accelerated timeline for the Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) season, compared to that of the Public School Athletic League (PSAL).
The Catholic High School Athletic Associations have made numerous unsuccessful attempts to receive approval from the Mayor’s office, the Department of Health, and the New York City Council Health Committee, to start the high-risk sports season according to safety guidelines. The three area counties including Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester, which New York City’s CHSAA teams compete against, resumed play earlier this month.
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