More local, regional sports shuttering due to COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the sporting landscape, both nationally and on the local scene.

Tuesday, the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association recommended to its schools that they suspend or reschedule spring rodeos.

The Big Sky Region was set to begin next month with the Montana State University Rodeo in Bozeman, but MSU announced that rodeo, along with all other events at MSU this spring, have been postponed.

In the memo sent out by the NIRA, Sarah Neely, director of public relations and administration for the NIRA, said that the organization's goal is to practice social distancing to help combat the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

"We've basically canceled our spring season other than a few rodeos in May," she said, adding public safety is the organization's top concern.

The Big Sky Region, which the MSU-Northern Lights and Skylights compete in, has also canceled spring rodeos at Miles Community College, the University of Montana and the University of Providence. The Providence rodeo in Great Falls, has also essentially become the Big Sky Region Finals each year.

As for the College National Finals Rodeo, the NIRA said it still hopes to hold the event June 14-20 in Casper, Wyoming.

"Our goal is the College National Finals and if we can flatten the curve (of the spread of COVID-19), getting people to the CNFR is our goal," Neely said.

Events at the CNFR are saddle bronc, bareback, bull riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, team roping, barrel racing, breakaway and goat tying. Men's and women's teams compete for national titles and men's and women's all-around crowns are awarded.

The top three individuals in each event per region qualify for the CNFR and the top two men's and women's teams per region also advance. At this point, the qualification procedure for the CNFR has not changed, according to the NIRA.

Spring Football

Tuesday, Montana State University-Northern head coach Andrew Rolin said that spring football had yet to be canceled at Northern, but that the Frontier Conference was meeting to discuss a course of action.

On Wednesday, the Frontier announced that all spring activities, including spring football, would be canceled.

"After careful review of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the Frontier Conference administrative leadership team is recommending that all spring sporting events, which include both in- and out-of-season activities, will be canceled for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year," Frontier Conference Commissioner Kent Paulson said in his release.

"This position mirrors that of the NAIA and falls in line with the script that various agencies at the national, state and county levels are also following during these difficult times as we navigate through uncharted waters," Paulson's statement continued. "It is the expectation of the Frontier Conference Board of Directors that all institutions in our league will support the stipulations put forth and that they will unilaterally be followed as we continue to collaboratively work together to support each other as all families are doing in this time of great need."

"Obviously, the health and safety of our student-athletes, our staff and our community is our priority right now, and we know this will be a spring where we won't be having a spring game," Rolin said Tuesday.

The University of Montana, which actually started spring ball early, suspended its practices, and also canceled its April 10 Spring Game in Hamilton, as well as all other team activities. The Grizzlies' main training center, the Washington-Grizzly Stadium Champions Center, has also been closed indefinitely.

Montana State, which had not yet begun spring drills, made announcements Tuesday as well. Spring practice has been postponed, while the MSU Coaches Clinic, Junior Day and annual Spring Game have been canceled.

All-Star Basketball

Montana's All-Star Basketball circuit was set to begin this weekend, but obviously, the Senior Classic in Billings has been canceled, while Montana State University-Northern women's head basketball coach Chris Mouat said Wednesday that the annual Hi-Line Invitational Tournament, set for next weekend in Havre, is also more than likely off.

More Spring Sports

The Big Sky Conference and the GNAC, which MSU-Billings plays on, became the latest leagues to formally cancel spring sports altogether. Also, the NJCAA did the same Monday, announcing that all its spring sports championships will be canceled. That means the NCAA, the NAIA and the NJCAA have effectively ended all spring sports for the 2020 season, which includes MSU-Northern golf, as well as Frontier Conference golf, track and field and softball.

At the high school level, 39 states have closed schools, including Montana. The state is in the midst of a two-week closure, but many districts are already warning that the closure could be longer. The MHSA suspended spring sports in Montana, including practices, until at least April 13.

Bowling

Though the annual bowling season begins to wind down in the spring, there are still leagues and state tournaments this time of year. However, many bowling alleys are closed under the order of bars and restaurant closures, and in Havre, Harvest Moon Lanes announced via its Facebook page earlier this week that is was until next week.