(WPRI) — Another disappointment for high school students as they begin a different new school year.

Fall sports have been canceled for the South Coast Conference and Old Colony Sports. Both say the decision was not made lightly but this inst necessarily a permanent cancellation.

The fall season could end up sliding in between the winter and spring seasons.

Sept. 18 was supposed to be the start of practice for fall athletes. In a letter to participating schools, Wednesday, the South Coast Conference superintendents from each district say they met on Monday and voted 8-2 to move the season based on guidance from the state.

The superintendents said almost half of the member schools are starting the school year remotely so offering sports when they can’t offer in-person learning would send a mixed message on safety.

Some restrictions would have included no real contact with other athletes and the superintendents said they still had a lot of questions over protocols for locker room use, sanitizing shared equipment, as well as relying more on parents for transportation to games.

As of now, winter sports would be the first season to start up, followed potentially by fall sports in mi-February to April.

South Coast Conference Schools:

• Apponequet
• Bourne
• Dighton Rehoboth
• Fairhaven High School
• Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical
• Joseph Case
• Old Rochester
• Seekonk
• Somerset Berkley Regional
• Wareham High School