News Release – April 20, 2021
Contacts:
- Lance Kettering, executive director, Springfield Sports Commission, 417-881-5300, ext. 106, lkettering@springfieldmo.org
- Katie Johnson, assistant director, Springfield Sports Commission, 417-881-5300, ext. 116, kjohnson@springfieldmo.org
- Jason West, MSHSAA communications director, jason@mshsaa.org
Venue Agreements Extended for High School Events
Springfield, Missouri – The Missouri State High School Activities Association announced today it has extended multiple post-season host venue agreements, including five in Springfield.
The extensions were put in place because of the changes and cancellations of championship events that occurred last year. In efforts to curtail the spread of the virus causing the pandemic, MSHSAA’s spring 2020 sports and scholar bowl seasons were lost; basketball, music and speech and debate were truncated; and significant modifications were made to all sports and activity seasons during the 2020-21 school year.
Lance Kettering, executive director of the Springfield Sports Commission, expressed gratitude for the extensions that will bring thousands of students and their families to the city.
“We greatly appreciate the opportunity to host MSHSAA Championship events in Springfield,” Kettering said. “Thank you to the MSHSAA staff and board of directors for extending the agreements. Furthermore, we thank MSHSAA for their tireless efforts to create championship opportunities for the student athletes during a very challenging time.”
One-year extensions went to Springfield for fall and spring softball, baseball and basketball along with a two-year extension for speech and debate. Other extensions include one year of football and wrestling and two years of music to Columbia and a two-year extension of track and field to Jefferson City.
The MSHSAA board of directors unanimously approved the extensions at its April board meeting.
“We have been fortunate to have great partners in all of our host communities,” said MSHSAA executive director Dr. Kerwin Urhahn. “These partners have worked with their respective communities when putting together their initial proposal bids. We felt the appropriate path was to give these communities more time to carry out their original plans.”
For more information about amateur sports events booked in the city by the Springfield Sports Commission, visit www.SpringfieldMo.org/sports or call 417-881-5300.
The Springfield Sports Commission is a nonprofit organization managed by the Convention & Visitors Bureau. The organizations work to improve the local economy through growth in travel and tourism to the city.