Dear Southwestern Athletic Conference Athletes and Families,

Our conference is unique in that it is comprised of school districts from both Lorain and Cuyahoga Counties and, at times, this has led to differing views regarding student academics and athletics.  As we all are aware, we are currently experiencing considerable COVID-19 spread throughout our state and area.  In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and ensure our student athletes are able to compete within our conference as much as possible, the Southwestern Conference Superintendents, in consultation with local health officials, have made the decision to temporarily suspend all middle school and high school athletic contests until December 7, 2020.

We recognize the importance of student connectivity, their mental health and how much time and effort our kids put into their respective sport.  As a result, practices will be allowed to take place.  During this time our athletes will still train.  This will keep them sharp and help to prevent injuries once contests resume.  Moving forward it is critical that strict safety protocols continue to be followed so our athletes can have as full of a season as possible.  The SWC Superintendents will reconvene on December 3, 2020 to review both regional and local data, along with seeking additional guidance from our respective health departments so that we may reassess the situation and make a decision moving forward from December 7, 2020.

The goal of our conference is to play, but based on the recommendation of our health officials we believe a brief pause is appropriate.  The conference did discuss each individual sport and how the current healthcare crisis impacts each individually.  As a group, we felt that all sports being suspended was the most appropriate step at this time.

Each school should look to their individual athletic departments and coaches for guidance on practice schedules and safety protocols.

Thank you,
Mike McCarthy
Southwestern Conference Commissioner