KHSAA votes to begin basketball practice on Monday, games on Jan. 4

Vote comes over objections from Louisville over high COVID cases

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Kentucky High School Athletic Association board of control is in no mood to wait, where basketball and other winter sports are concerned.

After deciding last month to delay the start of practice to Dec. 14 and the start of competition to Jan. 4 for basketball, swimming, wrestling and competitive cheer and dance, the board voted Wednesday to keep to that schedule, over the objections of Louisville-area and other board members concerned about the growing number of COVID-19 cases in the Commonwealth.

Jefferson County Athletic Director Jerry Wyman was in favor of pushing the start of practices back to January and games to late January.

"I just don't want us to jump the gun and do something that's irresponsible," said Wyman. "I can't support the motion that we start official practice on the 14th with the status of what the state is in right now. All due respect to legislative leadership, I think it's a bad decision."

Mercy Academy Athletic Director Mark Evans also spoke in favor of pushing things back.

"We've talked on and on and on about some of the surges after holidays and I think it's irresponsible for us to try to start January 1 and start practices right away," said Evans. "I just don't think that's a good move."

The board also voted to keep an earlier window for the Sweet 16 basketball tournaments, from March 29 to April 8, voting down in a 9-8 decision a delay to hold the tournament from April 24 to May 9 -- a move that KHSAA commissioner Julian Tackett had argued for.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush," Tackett said. "We need to have it as late as we possibly can."

A later date could open the possibility that more fans could attend. It could also leave more flexibility in the regular-season schedule and possibly allow for more people to be vaccinated. Board members, however, were concerned that interest in the event could wane the later into the calendar it is held.

As happened with football with regard to Louisville public schools, Jefferson County Public Schools could issue its own timetable with regard to basketball.

THIS STORY WILL BE UPDATED.