PHOENIX – Officials with the Phoenix Union High School District say the district will postpone all fall and winter sports amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement obtained by FOX 10, school district officials say beginning on August 17, all workouts, practices and competition for fall sports will be postponed until the community meets state and county health benchmarks for a safe return. In addition, workouts for winter athletics will also not start until the same benchmarks are met.

In the statement, school district officials say they allowed sports condition during the summer in preparation for fall sports, but they do not feel it is safe for students to continue in-person workouts, since community spread of COVID-19 still exceeds recently released health benchmarks.

“It is our hope that we will resume all athletics later this school year,” the statement read.

School District officials went on to say their coaches will stay on contract, and will be asked to stay in contact with their players, assign individual workouts, check grades and attendance, assign tutoring for those who are falling behind academically, and coordinate virtual team meetings.

“Coaches and athletes will return to in-person practices when it is safe, per state and county guidelines,” read a portion of the statement.