Allderdice girls soccer workouts suspended amid positive covid-19 test

By: Michael Love
Friday, August 14, 2020 | 1:17 PM

The Allderdice girls soccer team will not hold conditioning workouts for two weeks after one of its players tested positive for covid-19.

Pittsburgh Public Schools announced the move in a release, stating that the asymptomatic athlete notified the district Thursday of the positive test result.

It said the student trained with the team Tuesday at the Schenley Oval soccer field and that all team members and their families have been notified.

The Allderdice school administration also shared information with staff members and school families concerning the positive test and the cancellation of the workouts.

The administration stressed that all social distancing and safety protocols were followed by all players and staff, and the families of all female soccer players were informed as to the next steps to take.

The Allderdice girls soccer team plays in the WPIAL and is a member of Class 4A with section games against Fox Chapel, Hempfield, Latrobe, Norwin and Penn-Trafford.

“This is a challenge,” Allderdice girls soccer coach Jeremiah Dugan said.

“If we do have a season, we have to figure out a way to make it work that doesn’t put the athletes’ health in danger in terms of just physically getting ready. It doesn’t do us any good if we rush back into it and players are not in game shape. Hopefully, we can come back safely and be in a position to get ready.”

The shutdown of the girls soccer workouts at Allderdice follows similar moves made at Blackhawk, Ambridge and Beaver within the past two weeks.

Last weekend, Blackhawk School District shut down all middle school and high school sports and activities for 14 days after a student-athlete was found to have tested positive for covid-19.

Beaver and Ambridge also halted all sports workouts until Aug. 6 and Aug. 17, respectively, after both districts were informed of positive covid cases the weekend of Aug. 2.

Fall high school sports teams have held summer workouts since early last month.

The PIAA delayed the start of the high school sports season to Aug. 24 with the hopes of having further discussions with Gov. Tom Wolf and his administration after Wolf recommended both scholastic and youth sports be delayed until at least Jan. 1.

Pittsburgh Public Schools on Aug. 6 announced plans to postpone fall sports. A vote on a resolution is expected Aug. 26, around the time the two-week workout suspension would end for Allderdice girls soccer.

The ruling, if it is passed, would affect all sports teams from all Pittsburgh Public Schools, whether a team plays in the City League or the WPIAL.

Two WPIAL schools already have announced changes to their fall sports offerings.

Uniontown School District board members decided Aug. 3 to cancel the football and boys and girls soccer seasons as the school district will start the school year with online-only instruction.

Summit Academy, a private school in Herman, Butler County, announced Wednesday that it has canceled its two fall sports seasons, football and boys golf.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Allderdice