Eagles will have winter sports

Play ball. That was the message from Sauk Prairie athletic director Josh Boyer last Friday when it came to winter sports. Earlier in the day, the Badger Conference — which Sauk Prairie is a part of — announced it would not have an official conference winter sports season. The conference announced: “Since all member schools are not able to participate fully in conference contests during the upcoming winter season dates as scheduled, sanctioned Badger Conference competitions will not be held and conference champions will not be named.” The conference left each member school free to set up its own non-conference winter sports seasons, and Sauk Prairie plans to do exactly that. “At this point I anticipate our winter sports to start on the scheduled start dates and for us to have a winter season,” Boyer said. “These are unique times and what we have been accustomed to or expected out of schedules of athletic contests for each season will most likely not be the case for this upcoming school year as we will experience differences in how things are scheduled. “We have always viewed sports as an important component to the educational process. Participation in sports provides opportunities for developing and cultivating a variety of skills, such as communication, teamwork, discipline, leadership skills and respect for others. In addition, participation in sports encourages healthy choices, leads to increased physical activity, and is simply fun.” Boys hockey, girls hockey, girls basketball and gymnastics will begin on Nov. 16. Boys basketball, wrestling, and boys swimming and diving will start on Nov. 23. Seven of the 16 schools in the Badger Conference are located in Dane County — DeForest, Madison Edgewood, Monona Grove, Mount Horeb, Oregon, Stoughton and Waunakee. The other nine are spread across six different counties. Schools inside of Dane County won’t start winter sports on time, and might not offer them whatsoever. Dane County guidelines currently ban many types of practice and all competitions in the winter sports because they would be held indoors, where restrictions are tighter. The other nine schools in the conference are spread across six different counties. Practices and non-conference games at those schools would have to be approved under local and county health department guidelines and by school administrators and boards.  Sauk Prairie offered fall sports to its student-athletes, and while there’s been unique challenges and occasional hiccups, it’s gone better than many could have imagined. That’s why Boyer was excited to offer winter sports at Sauk Prairie.  “We are committed to offering this opportunity to students, assuming it is still safe and allowable as determined by public health,” Boyer said. “I would like to continue to encourage you and your student-athletes to embrace this opportunity as many other student-athletes around the state have not competed this fall and may not this upcoming winter season.”