It was a difficult day for Marshalltown High School as the school district announced Tuesday that the school system would transition to virtual-only learning, with the high school going online on Monday. This decision, which could be approved by the state Department of Education in the next 24 to 48 hours, will also have big implications for the Bobcats’ athletic programs in winter sports.

According to athletics director Ryan Isgrig, starting Monday all school sports will cease activity until at least Nov. 30 or Dec. 1, as long as the school is in better standing with regards to COVID-19.

“Obviously, it’s not an ideal situation for anyone,” Isgrig said. “No one wants to see this happen, and obviously we want the kids in the classroom and the kids participating in activities. We’ll take it day-by-day at this point.”

The decision comes as Iowa, along with many Midwestern states, struggle mightily with the virus. Marshalltown made it through most of the summer and fall sport seasons without many disruptions apart from the volleyball team’s season ending prematurely due to a positive test.

For winter sports, this means that there can be no open gyms or official practices during the next two full weeks — and no games either, which invariably will throw the Bobcats’ scheduling into limbo. However, Isgrig did say that sports which had already started practices could have virtual communication between coaches and players.

Isgrig said there was a conversation between him and the winter sport coaches Monday night, in which he indicated that a move to virtual learning was possible so they wouldn’t be completely caught off-guard.

The announcement comes on the same day as Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ proclamation that sporting events (starting after the high school football championships held at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls) will be limited to spectators, with a maximum of two guests per athlete.

There won’t be tickets available for the state swimming and diving championships, held Friday and Saturday at the Marshalltown YMCA.

Isgrig said that he was worried the school would have to stop the Marshalltown girls’ swimming and diving participants from taking part in an event they were hosting. The school eventually allowed it, and so they will be the last Marshalltown athletes to compete for the rest of November.

It’s unknown when Marshalltown will be able to restart winter sports and when the date will come that they’ll be able to play opponents. Isgrig said they’ll cross that bridge when they get there since there have been schools on Marshalltown’s schedules who have gone online already.

“Every sport’s going to be different of course,” Isgrig said. “But we want to have some realistic practice time to get ready to have some competition, but at the same time we’re probably gonna be pretty eager to get some games in at that point too. We’ll see what happens, it’s still early in the process.”