Plano Sports Authority suspends league games after pressure from parents amid coronavirus concerns

Updated at 7:20 p.m. March 16, 2020, to include a response from the Plano Sports Authority.

The Plano Sports Authority is postponing its spring sports seasons after a petition on change.org asked the group to respond to the coronavirus situation in North Texas.

The nonprofit group, which provides recreational sports leagues for students in Plano ISD and surrounding areas, is also suspending its clubs, martial arts training and Mother’s Day Out program, according to an email the group sent Monday.

PSA will be closing all buildings, but the call center will answer phones between noon and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Additional updates will be under the cancellations tab on the website, Sandi Williams, chief administrative officer, wrote in the email.

The delay is estimated to be about four weeks, the email states, before practices and games will be rescheduled.

The petition had more than 2,000 signatures before PSA’s announcement.

“My name is Monica Pilcher and I am the proud mother of two girls in Plano, TX,” the post accompanying the petition states. “We have been active members in the PSA community where I have held various volunteer positions in multiple sports. I am concerned over PSA’s decision to not accommodate the social distancing that is being called for by the CDC and various other world health organizations. Many surrounding youth sport organizations have decided to delay or suspend their seasons but PSA has not.”

On Sunday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that gatherings of 50 people or more should be canceled or postponed throughout the country for the next eight weeks.

Pilcher said in the post that PSA had sent an email about increasing cleaning and sanitizing of game balls, the stands and high-use areas. The email said there are thermometers to check players’ temperatures and advised spectators to spread out in the stands and parents to wash their children’s hands before and after games.

“We are asking PSA to do the right thing and follow the lead of the NBA, NHL, MLB, and other sports organizations and delay the seasons," the post reads. "It seems that the current plan is to play as usual and whoever decides to show up, shows up.”

Pilcher clarified in a comment that she was not seeking a refund.

In making its decisions, the PSA considered multiple government sources, according to the email sent Monday.

“Good luck and our prayers are with you,” it concludes. “We wish we could do more.”