Fall football took a hit today when Mid-Pacific President Paul Turnbull outlined his school’s plan for reopening amid the Coronavirus pandemic.
The school intends on opening for in-class instruction on August 17 but will not participate in three sports, two in the fall and one in the winter. That means no football, cheerleading or wrestling.
Mid-Pacific students participate as the Pac-Five conglomerate in those sports and have since HUMMERS was established in 1974. The letter cited limiting “daily physical interactions between student cohorts outside the Mid-Pacific community.”
Only sports that compete as Pac-Five were mentioned.
Pac-Five uses Mid-Pacific’s football field to hold practices.
As an Owl alumni and former Wolfpack athlete, I am saddened and very disappointed in Mid Pac’s president for this decision. He chose the sports only relating to pac five sports… why is that? Are the kids from the other schools filthy or contaminated? Isn’t basketball also a game where players get in close quarters with others? So it can’t be a distance issue… otherwise basketball would be eliminated as well. So please explain to me why only those three sports? So so sad for those athletes… now i know what school my kids won’t be attempting to attend.
This is a supremely elitist and selfish move by MPI, as if their students within their own protective walls are somehow safer than other schools. Sports like basketball and baseball have club teams outside of school that mix kids from different schools. Does the MPI president even know and understand that his students are going to participate in club sports with students from other schools? Gasp!
This decision has now affected the lives of many other students from all the other Pac-5 schools, which is more than 5 now.
MPI should change their nickname to the Skunks because this stinks.
Is this the only high school not participating in football? Aloha stadium or regular stadium.
Shame on MidPac. Too early to make this decision and not even sure if we will have a Football Season. It’s a shame for upcoming Seniors.
Forty something years about to be flushed down the porcelain bowl. The culture been there at Mid Pac even before the arrival of the school President. I guess because you are the President, you can do what you want… also maybe because the group of athletes that participate are the minority…. their say are meaningless. Hmmmm… doesn’t this sound familiar to other issues that have recently occurred? Minority Lives Matter too Mr President of Mid Pac.
Paul Turnbull and Scott Wagner should be fired from MPI. I know many parents who have kids at MPI and they regret sending their kids to the school. Administration and AD do not look out what is best for the kids. MPI should just stick to the school of the arts. I heard they wanted to get Coach Dunn out of there too. When that happens MPI will have NO winning athletic programs.
My initial thought is MPI’s fear of “gross negligence” charge. Remember this?: https://www.civilbeat.org/2020/01/lawyer-mid-pac-institute-showed-stupefying-incompetence-in-death-of-boy/
Who cares
No problem with no participation in FB, as long as all other MP sports are cancelled too for 2020-2021, only fair. As for baseball, is Coach Dunn going to coach till he is in a wheelchair?
Last season was a huge recruiting tool (winning season) for this year. Now that Pac-5 does not have a 2020/1 FB season, good luck in the turn out for the 2021/2 season.
I get only part of the logic – if one wants to avoid spreading of the virus then any contact sport with any opposing team would need to be assessed. Shouldn’t Mid-Pac make this assessment for Basketball as well? Are they going to control parents attending volleyball games, etc?
They should have at least negotiated with the state department of health to have student athletes tested on a regular basis. This should be the standard across the entire the state.
This decision should have been left for the parents to make regarding their kids participation in sports. It makes no sense as to the reasoning by MPI officials for their decision. Instead of letting things play out as the entire state is slowly opening, they jumped the gun and made a decision that contradicts the state moving forward. They cite concerns with interactions from students from other schools. What about the other sports and clubs that interact with other schools? What about the kids interacting with other friends, family, and strangers when they are not in school? Schools will be checking their students upon arrival at school, and I am sure coaches will be checking players upon arrival at practice, and parents when the kids go home. Isn’t this enough precaution? I feel sorry for the kids who played through the system and reached their senior season, only to be disappointed by a decision made by a few with no options. This decision affects more than MPI, and TURNBULL and his staff are being selfish in their decisions without even consulting with the parents and students in advance. If they do not change their minds, I hope they are fair with their decisions and cancel other sports and clubs that interact with other schools.
Did everybody forget that we are in the midst of a pandemic? The lack of caring about safety amongst many commenters is staggering. There will be NO spectators even if football is allowed. I’m saddened and angered by the absence of concern about infecting others, especially the kupuna and those with compromised immune systems. By all means, it’s your right to not protect yourself and others but take a look in the mirror and ask yourselves if it is truly worth risking infecting some of your loved ones for a game. For all of you thinking about missing out on scholarships: There are no Div 1 quality seniors on the team. My daughter is a cheerleader for pac 5 and there is not 1 midpac student athlete that will compete in Div 1 college football.
COVID-19 is real and Football is a full contact sport. It won’t be a matter of if players infect others but when they infect others. I’m glad the pac 5 staff is so healthy that they are not susceptible to being infected by COVID-19. The players should come before the coaches’ and their families’ safety. I truly hope the elder Coach Bo sits this season. God forbid he contracts COVID-19. Will Pac 5 assume ALL liabilities in the event of infection.
Are you serious? With the opening of parks ,playgrounds, fitness gyms, etc. kids are going to participate in some type of sports. Not only participating in sports benefits their physical, social and mental health, it also help develop their motor skills, space, and movement patterns, and improve sports skills and god given talent for the sport that they dedicate themselves and enjoy. They train and practice countless hours to represent their school, family, and team. School Pride and Tradition. SO WE REALLY WANT TO TAKE THAT AWAY? we already know how to keep social distance, wash our hands, quarantine, and wear mask. JUST LET THEM BE KIDS!!!
NBA will be starting soon, NCAA Football cleared to practice soon and games to follow. Outdoor sports cleared to practice, Summer Fun are open, Fitness Gyms are open, Outdoor sports teams ,clubs etc. are already practicing such as soccer, baseball, flag football, outdoor basketball 5 on 5 pick up games too.
MID PAC NOT !!!
Hey MID PAC , lets take away the one thing that student athlete do well in a positive way, so they can stay home and be bored, decrease their social, physical and mental health,Maybe they can find other things to do like Vaping, Play Video Games, hang out at the Mall and Beach. FEAR IS A CHOICE, you cant predict if you’re going to catch covid or not, but you can protect yourself by following the safety protocol . Participating in sports is a big part of a teenager social life. They make new friends, they belong in something, and they learn life long lessons.
Dear Dr. Turnbull,
In terms of your letter, yes, Pac5 is like a community team made up of athletes from many schools/communities. If you will not be able to control/limit ALL your students from community or club sports (baseball, soccer, volleyball, football, etc.) that involve kids participating from other schools, then you might as well allow your students to participate in Pac 5 sports. Does my POV make sense? I bet if you take a poll, there are more kids at mid pac that participate in community/club sports than they do at Pac5. Your policy should not just be prejudice to Pac 5…. if you truly believe what you are saying, the rule and consequences should apply to those students that participate in club and community sports too. In what ever you decide, please be fair and not discriminative.
Aloha
good move…stay safe for ALL of us! Try another sport…. football is not the only sport there is… take up cross country, bowling, kayaking ect…. this all help your motor skills, team work…. itʻs for a season…your kids have the rest of there lives to think about also… sitting out a season wonʻt hurt them that much….relax, because you are not the one that will face the consequences when the virus spreads to a certain family…
MP should start their own FB team, let Pac-5 be on its own, it makes more ILH teams too. It will take a dynamic coach and some Alumni money, but MP should do it.
Transfer to another school.
Simple.
Or just accept it.
I dont think they are going to change their decision.
I love sports and I totally understand the physical and social benefits to athletic programs. We are in very different times and I get that MPI wants to lessen exposure. If the professional sports don’t compete, college and high school sports will not compete. Fortunately, MPI will still play sports but not join with other schools. What if the school got rid of athletics altogether? How would students and parents react?
If St. Louis didn’t have football, would the school still exist? Did any ask Damien if they’re going allow spectators to watch any sporting events this upcoming school year? These questions will be REAL as the days go by.
Football won’t happen this year. More dying = less sports. I’m glad parents pay $27k for their kids to play football. Yeah, transfer to another school? You going get gonged when all schools suspend football.
All the the respondents lashing out at MPI are the very ones who would lash out if there was a football season and a spike broke out at the school. They would be the very ones who would lash out at the school if someone close to them got covid because of these sports. They are the very ones who take legal action if someone in their family died because of these sports. Ignorant! They talk about not being able to control students that do club sports. That is right because the club sports are not worried about safety. They are only worried about the thousands of dollars they charge to join the team. We are not even close to being over. In a little over 2 weeks we had an increase of over 250 cases. If you think this the only school that has or will sports in some capacity you are Naive. Yes it is sad for the seniors as it was sad for the for last years spring sports seniors. Did not hear people calling for firings then. Some said unfair to cancel only some sports but they did cancel you would be the lashing out again. You want to be fair then cancel all fall and winter sports as all the spring sports except esports was cancelled. We are trying to stop the spread and save lives. A season of sports to save lives seems like a fair trade off.
Have each participant sign a waiver??
Boom.
There was, Influenza, Malaria, Dengue Fever, Mad Cow Disease, Ebola, Aids, etc. We survived, Did Mid Pac cancel then??? We cant predict , all we can do is practice the safety protocols like wearing mask, social distance, washing hands. But we are human beings we need our mental health and socialize with other human beings, and sports is important, the sport season is short, we cant stay locked up in our homes forever, were going to go crazy. Until they find a vaccine, no one is safe. We can catch it anywhere not just playing sports. Think about it? Were not Naive or Ignorant, were just being HUMANS.
Good job!
Right now everyone is trying to point fingers and just blame in a time of uncertainty. No one has the right answers, but President Turnbull is just doing what he feels is best. Some might not agree (until it hits home) and some probably would agree. Today, Stanford University canceled 11 sports and the IVY schools canceled all of their fall sports. I’m sure there might be a few more, but even if there isn’t, that’s some well respected schools who is just doing what they think is best for the athletes and students. Nothing more, nothing less. I’m not trying to argue with anyone and I want to watch me some sports, but it is what it is. If anyone disagrees and wants to make a change, elections are coming up. Put your name in the hat.
So Mid Pac cancelled only 3 sports is basically saying only those athletes that participates in those 3 sports that were cancelled should be safe, and not the other athletes who participates in MPI basketball, volloeyball, soccer etc (high risk sports) those kids should NOT be safe since it wasnt cancelled. Hmmm? and isnt Pac 5 sports consist of more than several schools, but yet only Mid Pac cancel. Hmmm? So you guys still think Mid Pac is playing it safe or ( Summer Fun Accident ?)
More schools and sports will not have a season either it’s just not mentioned yet.