The last time an interscholastic sport took place at Newburgh Free Academy, the boys’ basketball team suffered a state regional semifinal to Section 1’s Horace Greeley.
That was March 11.
Now, it’s 10 months later and the winter sports season is scheduled to begin in Newburgh on Tuesday. But not all winter sports. Just the boys’ and girls’ indoor track, boys’ swimming, and bowling teams.
Newburgh began winter registration on Oct. 30 and even though practice times will vary once the seasons start, there will be COVID-19 screenings between 2:30 and 3 p.m. only and no one will be able to enter the buildings after 3 p.m.
The low- and moderate-risk sport athletes will see their seasons start the week of Jan. 25. The bowling team is scheduled to face Kingston on Jan. 25, while the boys’ swim team is scheduled to begin Jan. 26 with indoor track holding outdoor meets, starting Jan. 30.

Boys’ and girls’ basketball, wrestling and competitive cheerleading have all been deemed high risk by the New York State Dept. of Health and no timeline exists for them to begin.
“At this time there is no definitive timeline for authorization of high-risk sports to resume competition,” New York State Public High School Athletic Association Executive Director Robert Zayas said in a statement. “We’ll continue working with state officials and our member schools to determine when it is safe to compete.”
Even though wrestling, basketball and cheerleading lack authorization to begin full practices and games, they are cleared for offseason skills training.
Section 9’s Fall 2 sports season, scheduled for March, still lacks approval for football and volleyball. Boys’ lacrosse – in the spring – also lacks approval.
However, Zayas’ announcement about the lack of progress getting high-risk sports off the ground comes as neighboring states like New Jersey and Pennsylvania have completed their fall seasons, including football and volleyball.
The winter season in New Jersey was delayed as Gov. Phil Murphy on Dec. 5 signed an executive order which paused indoor sports practices and competitions for youth and adults were placed on pause through Jan. 2.
Murphy announced last Wednesday that indoor sports practices and competitions can resume but are subject to indoor gating limits, most recently set at 10 people. However, a practice or competition can proceed with more than 10 if there are no people not necessary for the activity are present.
The New Jersey Scholastic Interscholastic Athletic Association issued a statement on Wednesday welcoming Murphy’s announcement.
“Of course, public health data still may impact our upcoming seasons,” NJSIAA officials said in a statement. “It’s essential we all continue supporting the three Ws – wear your masks, watch your distance and wash your hands.”
In November, the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference voted to postpone all winter sports until Jan. 19.
The Pennsylvania Interscholastic athletic Association started its winter season on Monday.