Athletes, coaches rally at State Capitol in support of restarting youth sports

Story: https://www.radio.com/kcbsradio/news/state/rally-at-state-capitol-in-support-of-restarting-youth-sports

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Youth athletes, coaches and parents rallied at the California State Capitol early Thursday calling for Gov. Gavin Newsom to allow them back on the field.

The coalition gathered on the Capitol steps for a "Let Them Play" rally, delivering letters from upwards of 10,000 California parents and athletes asking the governor to let them get back on the field.

The COVID-19 crisis has kept them from playing since last March.

"These kids aren’t Democrat or Republican," said Brad Henley, co-founder of the "Let Them Play CA" movement. "All they want to do is play. We have bipartisan support, almost a majority of the Assembly, in terms of bringing back youth sports.”

Zelbee Radar of Bella Vista High School (Fair Oaks) delivers an emotional speech at Thursday's "Let Them Play CA" rally at the State Captiol.
Zelbee Radar of Bella Vista High School (Fair Oaks) delivers an emotional speech at Thursday's "Let Them Play CA" rally at the State Captiol. Photo credit Mike DeWald/KCBS Radio

The stories from those speaking ranged from the depression faced by athletes to missed opportunities for college scholarships. Coaches with the grassroots advocacy group believe they can make this happen safely, citing a study from the National Football League.

"Zero cases of on-the-field COVID-19 transmission in practice, zero cases in a game. Zero," Torrey Pines High School head football coach Ron Gladnick told he crowd.

Supporters said getting players back on the field also sets up mechanisms for contact tracing and health protocols, rather than athletes forming club teams and traveling out of state to play where exposure can’t be traced.

"All youth sports can be played effectively with the right protocols," Henley told KCBS Radio.

Talks with the governor’s office continue.

Gov. Newsom has said he’s "looking forward to updating the guidelines" for sports like baseball, adding that football "is more challenging, more complex."