CHSAANow

Category: Weather

  • Memo sent to schools regarding baseball weather contingencies

    (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    AURORA — As the spring sports world eyes the weather, the CHSAA office communicated a contingency plan to schools participating in the state baseball tournaments on Tuesday.

    Forecasts show a high chance of rain on Thursday and Friday, which could lead to unplayable fields at some state tournament sites. Further details on the plan are available below via a memo sent by CHSAA assistant commissioner Bert Borgmann, who oversees baseball.

    Note that no final decision on the schedule will be made until Thursday in 2A-5A. Additionally, if one site in a classification is postponed, the entire classification will be postponed.

    The Class 1A state title game has already been postponed to Saturday.

    We have been weather-watching for the last several days like everyone else. As we look to the State Baseball Championship Series for all classifications, CHSAA will not make determination on any site or games until Thursday afternoon.

    We will let you know via email at that time where we stand on Friday’s games. Northern Colorado weather looks to be wet through Friday and then cool through Sunday. Monday has a threat of thunderstorms, so Tuesday looks to be a strong window of opportunity.

    Here are the current and long-term contingencies:

    1A – Postponed until Saturday, May 20 at Metro State College, Time TBA

    2A – Pueblo Weather looks like the games can be held, so no changes.

    3A, 4A, 5A – A decision will be made late Thursday to determine if they can be played on a regular schedule. If any single field is unplayable in these classifications, the entire classification will be postponed. For example, if All-City Field is unavailable due to poor field conditions, all 5A would be postponed.

    Please note that we have field availability issues on Sunday for some classifications, so early next week looms as an alternative.

    Due to pitch counts and the need for arm safety, we will look to the first available day that looks viable to start and complete the two days needed for Games 1-11 on the schedule. We will make sure that there is appropriate rest for pitchers between Week 1 and Week 2.

    The general thought is that with the expected moisture, five of the six fields may be unplayable until Monday at the earliest. We would look at Tuesday and Wednesday (23, 24), followed by Tuesday and Wednesday the next week (30, 31) to complete the tournament. Please make sure that your coaches, players and fans are aware of this possibility.

    You will receive additional information as it becomes available.

  • 1A state baseball championship moved to Saturday at Metro State

    (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    AURORA — The Class 1A baseball championship game has been postponed in order to avoid an impending storm forecast for Thursday.

    The title game, originally scheduled for 11 a.m. on Thursday at All-Star Park in Lakewood, will now be played on Saturday at Metro State. The start time is yet to be determined, and will depend on whether or not the 5A tournament is playing at the field that same day. It will be announced on Friday.

    The 5A event may be postponed if the natural grass at All-City Field in Denver is unable to recover from rain and snow on Thursday and Friday. Metro State has an artificial surface.

    No. 1 Holly and No. 7 Nucla will play for the 1A championship after winning in the semifinals last weekend.

    A variety of options were considered for the game, but ultimately the decision to move it was made in order to stay off of Thursday, where there is a 90 percent chance of rain and temperatures expected to range from the 30s to 40s.

    The artificial surface at Metro is more resilient than a typical natural grass and dirt field, and there is only a 10 percent chance of rain on Saturday, with forecasts calling for temperatures in the mid-50s.

  • State baseball schedule could be changed due to impending storm

    (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    AURORA — The storm expected to hit the state later this week could potentially change the schedule to this week’s state baseball tournaments.

    Forecasts show bad weather rolling into the metro area, as well as the Greeley and Niwot areas, starting on Wednesday evening. The storm is expected to bring rain through Thursday, and snow on Friday, as well as temperatures in the 30s. In Pueblo, the storm is expected to last all day on Thursday.

    That’s an issue, obviously, with the 1A baseball championship slated for Thursday in Lakewood, and the 2A (Pueblo), 3A (Greeley/Niwot), 4A (Lakewood/Denver), and 5A (Denver) tournaments all set to start on Friday.

    Aside from the immediate issue of moisture, the fields may not be ready to play even if the storm moves out early. As such, schedule changes may be announced in the coming days.

    “We are keeping a close eye on the impending storm,” said CHSAA assistant commissioner Bert Borgmann, who administers baseball. “Know that it has the potential to wipe out Friday’s games, as well as potentially Saturday’s games if the fields can’t recover.

    “At this point, we are looking at all options and discussing all conflicts with sites and schools to see what an alternate schedule might look like,” he added.

    A decision on the 1A title game will be made by Wednesday morning, and one on the 2A-5A games will be made by Thursday.

    CHSAA’s inclement weather plan for the spring indicated that any postponed events would be moved to the next available day, and includes the use of Sunday as an option for play.

  • Inclement weather contingency plans for spring sports championship season

    Fairview Horizon football rain lights
    (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    If Monday’s ugly storm was any indication, weather may play a factor in the spring sports championship season. Then again, it usually does.

    As such, the CHSAA office on Tuesday released its plan for weather contingencies involving team sports in the following memo sent to schools:

    Girls Soccer

    • If a weather element affects the field condition or safety of athletes, by National Federation Rule, the home site administration has the responsibility to determine if the game is to be started. Once the game has started, the game referee than has the responsibility to continue or suspend the contest.
    • Review the NFHS Lighting Policy.
    • If play is suspended for inclement weather during a postseason game, the contest will be restarted from the point of interruption. Referees should record all of the game information  and share it with both teams.
    • Games that are not started or suspended because of inclement weather must be scheduled for the next available day. For example, if your match is postponed on Tuesday, the next available date of play would be Wednesday.
    • Because these are playoff games, Sunday may be utilized for games that could not be played or completed on Saturday.
    • All host schools need to communicate this to the CHSAA office, administrators, coaches, players, parents and fans.
    • Please review the Postseason Tournament Game Tie-Breaking Procedures listed in the Girls’ Soccer Bulletin.

    Baseball

    Should weather interfere with the conclusion of play this weekend and through the next three weekends, our weather contingency plan is to use the first available day to conclude the tournament games play be postponed. For example, if your games are postponed on Saturday, then Sunday is the next available day and Monday becomes the next available day after that. If Monday is not available, then Tuesday becomes the next available day.

    The basic philosophy of this tournament is to push game times back until we can get on the field. That may mean delays of several hours on game times. We will use the lights at those fields that have them, if necessary.

    Because these are playoff games, Sundays may be used, but site directors will need to check with the schools in the tournament to ensure rescheduling does not create a greater conflict for those schools.

    There is no waiver on pitch counts for postponed playoff games. Pitch counts are daily numbers, except that remember that no pitcher may throw for than 60 pitches over two days (15 pitches Saturday and 45 Sunday means that pitcher is done and must meet the mandated rest).

    There may be situations where the facility availability will force the next available day out of the rotation. Please make sure that the site director is communicating with the traveling teams. All schools need to communicate this to their players, parents, administrators and fans.

    Site directors and coaches, it is your responsibility to be in touch with each other on potential problems. If you must postpone, please try to maintain the same game time schedules once you have rescheduled the games.

    If you are forced to go into next week, please work with your opponents on game times. If you must play two on Monday and finish on Tuesday, that is workable, or utilizing two sites and convening to one for the qualifying game if appropriate. Site Directors should be talking with their opposing athletic director about conflicts, etc.

    Boys and Girls Lacrosse

    Interrupted games will be continued from the point of interruption as per National Federation Rulebook.  Games that are not started or suspended because of inclement weather, must be scheduled for the next available day. 

    Please remember to review the CHSAA Playoff Calendar for dates of the beginning and completion of each round of play. We will adhere to all listed playoff dates.

  • Facing rain, plan is for state tennis tournaments to go on as scheduled — for now

    (CHSAANow.com)

    The state tennis tournaments begin on Thursday, and each site faces the possibility of a weather delay on that first day. But the plan, at least for now, is to operate as though the tournaments will go on as scheduled.

    Storms early this week, including rain on Wednesday, could leave the courts wet and unplayable on Thursday morning. Or they may not.

    Because play might go on as scheduled, all players are coaches need to plan on showing up on Thursday morning. There is a mandatory coaches meeting at each site where further information will be communicated.

    The meetings are planned for the following times at each site:

    • 3A: 8 a.m., Centennial Park in Greeley
    • 4A: 8:40 a.m., Pueblo City Park
    • 5A: 8:40 a.m., Gates Tennis Center in Denver

    “No matter what the weather is on Thursday, those meetings will happen,” said CHSAA assistant commissioner Bethany Brookens, who is in charge of tennis. “If it’s needed, we will communicate our plan to adjust the tournaments for weather at that time.”

    Each tournament is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. on Thursday.

    Forecasts for all three sites — Denver (5A), Pueblo (4A) and Greeley (3A) — show an 80-90 percent chance of rain on Wednesday, with it lasting into the early morning hours on Thursday, clearing around 9 a.m. Friday and Saturday are expected to be clear in all three cities, with temperatures in the mid-70s and low-80s.

    Each tournament has a format that would allow them to condense from three to two days, if needed, Brookens said. A split to multiple sites within a tournament is also possible.

    “Players should be prepared to play at multiple sites, under the lights, and indoors if necessary, in order to complete play by Saturday,” Brookens said.

    The draws for the three tournaments were released on Monday: