Two school districts in the Utica area have decided not to participate in high school sports for at least the fall.

Remsen Central School and Waterville Central School each announced Friday afternoon that they would not have fall sports.

Remsen indefinitely postponed its entire 2020-21 sports season. Meanwhile, Waterville said it will “delay the fall sports and reevaluate by Jan. 1, 2021” in a letter posted on the school website.

The decision around the same time Section III – the governing body for interscholastic athletics in the area – announced Friday that lower and moderate risk sports can begin Monday, Sept. 21.

“Sports are postponed until further notice,” Remsen Superintendent Timothy Jenny emailed the Observer-Dispatch Friday.

Jenny’s initial announcement came via a letter to the media, stating that Remsen is “unable to allow athletics at this time.” The locker rooms are even closed.

“We would love to see our students participating in sports as soon as possible just as we would love to see 100% of our students back in school. However, given all of the guidelines and safety procedures that Remsen has put in place, we are unable to allow athletics at this time,” Jenny wrote in the letter.

In fact, the school is not allowing any after-school gatherings of any kind, and visitors are not allowed to enter the buildings.

In the letter, Jenny stated that COVID-19 social distancing requirements, and student-athletes wearing masks during competition, were “not practical” nor “feasible.”

“While this decision is difficult for everyone, I am confident that our Remsen community will understand that participating in athletics at this time is not possible with our current safety procedures that we have in place to protect everyone, and that we will continue to support each other as we work through the pandemic,” Jenny wrote.

Waterville’s interim superintendent Kathleen M. Davis said in the letter that the “district faces many challenges with the upcoming budget restrictions” from the state.

“Our current focus remains on successful implementation of student educational programming. The additional time allows us to further monitor our transportation runs and capacity to transport students for athletics.

Remsen and Waterville join another Section III school, Cooperstown, which canceled its fall season Wednesday.

Visit uticaod.com later for an updated story.

O-D reporter Ben Birnell contributed to this story.