APS allowed to participate in high school sports

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.- APS can compete in high school sports, the district announced Wednesday night.

The district said it has worked out a plan with the New Mexico Public Education Department to allow high school athletes to compete in all state-sanctioned sports this spring.

Beginning the week of March 8, students at the 13 APS comprehensive high schools will work out in small groups, known as pods, for 14 days, which is required by the state.

If there are no COVID-19 outbreaks during that time, teams may begin full practices, games and competitions the week of March 22.

Fall sports including football, soccer, volleyball, and cross country will compete within the district on an abbreviated schedule.

They won’t be able to travel out of district because their season, which will start a couple of weeks after many others in the state, doesn’t align with the New Mexico Activities Association’s calendar.

Winter sports and spring sports, which include basketball, cheer dance, baseball, softball and track will be allowed to participate in NMAA competitions.

Competitions for winter sports are scheduled to start after spring break at the end of March. The APS Athletics Department hopes to post a schedule of events by mid-March.

Teams have been given the choice to participate, so not all sports will be represented by all schools.

Spectators will not be allowed to attend practices or competitions.

High school athletics is allowed to resume because the PED, which has tied sports to hybrid learning, approved plans by APS high schools that offer voluntary small group, in-person learning on all campuses beginning the week of March 8.