Planned march by student-athletes canceled after Phoenix Union district discusses plans to restart football

A group of student-athletes had planned a march outside the Phoenix Union High School District offices on Thursday afternoon on Central Avenue to protest not having fall football.

But that was canceled after the district began discussions about reopening football for a fall season, according to the mother of a freshman football player at Laveen Cesar Chavez.

The PXU would not confirm as of Friday afternoon if the fall football season is on for the 11 schools.

David Hines, executive director of the Arizona Interscholastic Association, did not return a message.

"At this point, we just want our kids to play," said Crystal Sosa, whose son plays at Cesar Chavez and was involved in the planned march. "Can't stay home forever."

Sosa said that she was informed Thursday that there will be football this fall in the Phoenix Union district for the 11 schools, and that is why the march was canceled.

"I had a women call me from district to answer some questions I had regarding the season," Sosa said. "She told me that they never canceled the season, just a small postponement.

"Today, I had parents messaging me, saying they got an email stating they will be starting up fall sports. We had a lot of PXU parents upset and they voiced their concerns and the district heard us. They also had a meeting with my son and said it was a go."

Cesar Chavez Athletic Director Lenny Doerfler did not return messages. Cesar Chavez football coach J.R. Alcantar and Phoenix Central coach Chandler Hovik said they could not comment.

If football is going to be played, then that likely means cross-country, volleyball, swimming and diving and badminton will also move forward.

In mid-August the district postponed all fall sports to an undetermined date, because of coronavirus hotspots in the district zip codes.

This week, the AIA permitted schools to begin official practices with all but two counties in the state meeting the moderate-risk range in the three health benchmark metrics.

The season is set to begin with most varsity games on Oct. 2.

The district, if it decides to play football, will have to determine when it can begin competition, because there has been no team organized conditioning since mid-August.

The new weekly metrics for schools and school districts were released Thursday.

The Phoenix Union district has hit the moderate range in two of the three metrics and is in the minimal-risk range in the third metric that the AIA is using to allow for football. The metrics were recommended by the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee that the AIA Executive Board approved last week.

The moderate range for the number of COVID-19 positive cases per 100,000 is 100 or fewer. And the positivity rate is 10% or less. On Thursday, it was reported that the PXU is at 6.19% and 46.39/100,000.

The minimal risk requirement for competition is 5% or less and 10 or fewer per 100,000.

Hines said earlier this week that the 10/100,000 metric could change.

Some PXU athletes, including Phoenix Central wide receiver Eric Lira and Phoenix Alhambra quarterback/safety Jaden "Chico" Crockett, said last weekend they were transferring after it appeared PXU would not be part of the fall football season.

They were transferring to schools that had football this fall.

The AIA bylaws allows transfers without penalty if the school they're leaving doesn't have a season during the same time as the schools they're coming to. They would have to sit out half the season, in this case four games, because of the modified eight-game regular-season schedules.

This story will be updated. Check back for more information.

To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on Twitter @azc_obert.

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