The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference is meeting with the state Department of Health today to review recommendations on what to do about school sports amid the COVID-19 pandemic and student-athletes gathered outside the conference headquarters in Cheshire to show their support for fall sports.

Many students and parents have expressed disappointment, confusion and frustration that the CIAC’s decisions keep changing and fall sports were put on hold until Aug. 24.

CIAC pauses all fall sports a day after receiving recommendations from the Department of Public Health.

This comes after the Department of Health recommended last week that any moderate- or high-risk sports, including football and volleyball, should be postponed until the spring.

“We’ve been doing everything they’ve asked us to do with lifting, washing the weights, lifting outside, keeping a safe distance, splitting the group in half so everyone can be in a group of 10. So, as athletes we thought, we want our voices heard.,” Brady Lafferty, a senior at Southington High School, said.

“I feel like a decision should be made quick instead of playing around with the kids and getting the kids hopes up for the season,” Donell Mackey-Woodson, a senior at Southington High School, said.

Glenn Lungarini, the executive director of CIAC, said they are looking forward to meeting with the Department of Health to learn what led them to their position.

He said the Connecticut Rules Committee, which includes representatives from the Department of Health, reviewed the plan CIAC approved on July 30.

“We do rely on their expertise and if their position has changed there has to be good rational behind that so we look forward to talking to them. We have a common goal of doing what’s in the best interest of kids,” he said.

He said the conference and the state Department of Health have a common goal of doing what’s in the best interest of the students.

Lungarini said he does not look at what the student-athletes have planned for today as a protest, but as a forum for students.

“I welcome them to come today. Again, encourage them to follow social distancing rules and make sure you bring a mask, but I think it’s a good opportunity for us to talk directly with kids and understand particularly, from March to now, it’s been frustrating for kids,” he said.

“We want to be able to just let them know that we support them, no matter what the decisions are that come out of this and how the fall season moves forward, our kids deserve an opportunity to let their voices be heard and we want them to know that we’re going to support them, no matter what,” Lungarini added  

“Not being able to have a sure answer of when we’re going to start
is just draining for us,” Jayden Colon, of Manchester, said.

The state of Connecticut has had 51,314 cases of COVID-19 and 4,457 deaths.

On Wednesday, Gov. Ned Lamont said more than one million COVID-19 PCR-based tests have been recorded in Connecticut and that has helped the state remain one of the few in the nation to keep the virus contained to low levels of transmission throughout the summer.

“With the numbers as good as they are in Connecticut, it can’t seem to get much better than it is now and so if they can’t play now, when are they going to play?” Sue Poudrier, of Amston, said.

The CIAC plan to play a condensed, regionalized schedule was changed and fall sports were put on hold until Aug. 24.

Students are being encouraged to condition at The home.