WIAA cancels spring sports, student athletes lament loss

Infographic by Jacob Glinski

By Jacob Glinski/Staff Writer

Reporter Jacob Glinski

With many high school sports spring seasons in jeopardy across the nation because of the coronavirus, various Indian Trail High School athletes were still optimistic in late March for the possible return to the seasons, but recognize necessary steps had to be taken before that was possible.

Indian Trail Comprehensive sophomore Makayla Milligan, a girls varsity soccer player, noted both the benefits and downsides of the suspended season.

“If the season is delayed too long, it’s going to be hard to get enough practices to build a strong team chemistry,” Milligan said. “I understand why they handled this, but I also feel for the seniors who may not be able to play their last season. It isn’t fair to have that taken away from them.”

But on April 21, the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) announced the cancellation of all spring sports, after a virtual board meeting voted 10-1 in favor of a cancellation.

The decision followed Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers’ “Safer at Home” order, which extended the closure of schools for the rest of the school year, non-essential business operations until May 28, and the University of Wisconsin’s

This feeling of sadness for seniors is shared throughout all sports in the school, and no one knows that feeling better than the seniors themselves.

“For me, the saddest part is that the majority of my senior season has been canceled, so I won’t get to see how well I could have done,” said Indian Trail General Studies senior Julia Kryca, a varsity track and field athlete.

Other veterans with high goals for this season include Indian Trail Medical Sciences senior and standout shot put and discus athlete Joseph White. White’s successful athletic career includes an appearance at the WTFA Indoor State meet in 2019, as well as qualifying for sectionals last outdoor season.

“My goal was to make it to indoor and outdoor state. Beyond that, I had certain distance goals I would have liked to achieve in shot put and discus,” White said.

If the season had resumed, Kryca had planned to do her best given the circumstances.

White shared a similar attitude.

“I plan to stay in shape and continue to work out on my own so I’ll be ready to finish the season strong if blessed with the opportunity,” he said, before the April 21 announcement.