By Joel Magalnick, Editor, JTNews
While their competitors spend the weekend in Yakima, the girls’ volleyball team for Northwest Yeshiva High School will be staying home for the state championships. Though they placed fourth in their division, which qualified them to go to state, the tournament is being held this Friday and Saturday, during Shabbat, meaning the girls will be unable to play.
The Washington Interstate Athletic Association, which administers athletics for approximately 400 public and private schools throughout the state, was unable to make accommodations for the two-day, 48-team tournament.
“We offered a couple different options, including playing one or two matches off-site or playing the games earlier in the day,” said Rabbi Benjy Owen, NYHS’s assistant head of school. “We made some proposals to them, and they didn’t accept them.”
Mike Colbrese, the WIAA’s executive director, said the situation is complex and difficult.
“We were concerned about the fairness to all the teams and also concerned about the safety to individuals,” Colbrese told JTNews.
Making accommodations would have required teams to play two or even three games back-to-back, and he said the fatigue could pose safety issues. Moving the schedule up a day was also not possible.
“The problem with Thursday-Friday is then we’re taking kids out of school more,” he said.
NYHS and WIAA have been working on the issue since March, when it became clear that the volleyball team could qualify for the state championships. This tournament would have been their first.
This is not the first time, however, that the NYHS girls have had to forfeit because of schedule conflicts. In the spring of 2010, the WIAA did not accommodate the girls’ basketball team, which was scheduled to play on the evening following a fast day. Rather than risk dehydration, the team decided to forfeit.
NYHS is also not the only school that has Sabbath issues. There are “a number of Seventh Day Adventist schools,” Colbrese said, and he also noted that Christian schools may have issues playing on Sundays.
“It’s a difficult situation,” he said. “It’s not enjoyable and we just have to do what we think is the best way to do it.”
In the meanwhile, Owen said his school is trying to reach a long-term solution to the scheduling problem.
“The school is putting together a proposal for how we would like them to accommodate for Shabbat for the future,” he said.
And as for the girls, he said they’re holding their heads high.
“They’re disappointed. They’re very proud of themselves, as they should be,” he said. “For them, playing on Shabbat is not an option and they’re sure about that, and they’re very sure about their values regarding Shabbat.”
A number of team members have received individual recognition: Senior Ilana Greenberg made the all-league first team; senior Makena Owen and junior Marissa Almoslino made the all-league second team. Co-coach Drew Artiaga received a coach of the year award and the team received a sportsmanship award.
A celebration at the school in honor of the team was scheduled for Thursday, after JTNews went to press.