Long Island's Catholic League limiting spectators for next two weeks
Credit: James Escher
The Nassau-Suffolk Catholic High School Athletic Association announced it will limit spectators at all indoor sporting events for the next two weeks in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID 19.
Athletes will be allowed two spectators per event and all spectators will be checked in at the door and are required to wear masks. They do not have to be fully vaccinated. The changes went into effect Tuesday.
"We’ll have a two-week period where we allow two spectators per athlete," said Ralph Dalton, the president for the boys NSCHSAA and the director of athletics at St. John the Baptist. "And we’ll reevaluate the situation right around the Martin Luther King Holiday [on Jan. 17] and make a decision on how we move forward. Ultimately, we are trying to keep our student-athletes competing and at the same time keeping them safe."
All athletes, coaches and officials are required to wear masks during indoor competition.
"We did lose some non-league contests against the public schools because of COVID-related issues," said Lorraine Bouklas, the president of the girls NSCHSAA. "And our league schedule starts [Tuesday], and we’re trying to protect the integrity of our league schedule and the safety of everyone involved. We know the masks are going to fall a little bit, but we’re asking the athletes to bring them up right away. And our administrators are working together and doing a good job of overseeing these safety guidelines.
We know it’s difficult to wear masks playing basketball, but it has to be done."
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
