When Michigan health officials announced the three week pause to help slow the spread of Covid, High School sports were paused as well.

Let's go back to the summer, just before the start of school when officials were trying to figure out the safest way to handle the school year. It was a contentious time for everyone, and the MHSAA decided to put most of the fall sports on hold. Some parents and players were outraged by the decision, and organized a protest in Lansing to make sure they were heard.

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The initial Let Them Play protest happened in Lansing back in August. Players and coaches from Genesee County and around the state gathered to demand that high school sports be allowed. Shortly after, the MHSAA decided that it would be safe to allow competitions, with a lot of oversight.

Since then there have been multiple outbreaks in schools, and among teams in all high school sports in Michigan. The football playoffs saw a ton of teams forced to forfeit because of Covid exposures. The Covid cases weren't just growing in schools though, the state started to see a dangerous rise in cases which prompted the shutdown we are in now.

High School sports were forced to stop all activities as well with the pause. The MHSAA had planned on trying to restart the fall playoffs once the three week pause was lifted, but the MDHHS extended it last week. The extension is what spurred the latest 'Let Them Play' rally happening today in Lansing. The following quote is from the Let Them Play FB Page.

Join the #letthemplay group this Friday from 3-5 to fight for our kids again!!Michigan’s kids have been ignored too long! Their mental health needs attention from those making decisions to continually take away school, sports, and all activities. They have been obeying every rule and have had ZERO hospitalizations or deaths traced to fall sports. They need school, sports, and activities...their MENTAL HEALTH depends on it.

I want to make it abundantly clear that I personally do NOT support this rally or movement.

I do think high school sports are extremely important, but not worth the risk that they pose right now.  We are on the edge of having a vaccine, and returning to a much more normal version of our world. There is no reason to ramp up the risk for players, coaches, fans or the huge circle of people that each one of them touches every day.

 

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