covid and the future of softball and sports for our youth

[hooham08]

In our part of Oklahoma, I have 3 grandson's and 1 granddaughter, we have not had any sport cancelled. This runs the gamut from softball to wrestling. Individual games/tournaments have been but not sports. It really seems the virus does not attack younger population like it does the older population.

Wish we could say the same. My daughter made middle school softball team as a6th grader last year. They canceled the day of first game or the day prior. Our va schools haven't played any sports since, which they never got a game in. No sports since. Fall sports were pushed back to winter and now that's looking like it won't happen and I doubt we'll play any spring sports with our covid numbers rising again. It's unfortunate.

 

[hooham08]

Toc-toc wasn't cancelled so the youth will be just fine. The parents who think their presence at the games is the difference between a win or a loss for their Suzy Cue, maybe not so much.

I'm not sure where this fits in the thread. Maybe I missed something. I don't know that anyone is worried about parents presence at games. But now that you mention it I couldn't imagine missing my kids game especially one where it would be a lifelong memory and achievement. I hope that the bond i built sitting on the bucket with my daughter never gets comprised where I can't be with them in any special moment. Sorry if I misread where you were going.

 

[_MIA_]

I'm not sure where this fits in the thread. Maybe I missed something. I don't know that anyone is worried about parents presence at games. But now that you mention it I couldn't imagine missing my kids game especially one where it would be a lifelong memory and achievement. I hope that the bond i built sitting on the bucket with my daughter never gets comprised where I can't be with them in any special moment. Sorry if I misread where you were going.

I was being tongue in cheek..1 in 8 Americans currently report being food insecure. The country has more important things to worry about. That said, I see people on FB here in Oklahoma bitching that they are restricting access to 1 parent per kid in basketball games here in some towns when they should just be happy that the kids are playing at all. Memories with kids in sports are made outside of games..at home on the bucket, at the park hitting grounders or throwing BP, shooting hoops in the driveway, etc. Youth sports would be better off without parents at games. Granted I am a bit biased since I don't really enjoy watching my DD play in games.

 

[nikkilugi]

Wish we could say the same. My daughter made middle school softball team as a6th grader last year. They canceled the day of first game or the day prior. Our va schools haven't played any sports since, which they never got a game in. No sports since. Fall sports were pushed back to winter and now that's looking like it won't happen and I doubt we'll play any spring sports with our covid numbers rising again. It's unfortunate.

On Nov 16th the VSHL said that even with the spectator limits sports in VA are still scheduled to start and play on schedule. There may be no spectators but if that means my DD plays then I will be ok with that. We live in Chesapeake and our kids are still in school, albeit on a hybrid schedule but our school board is holding strong on keeping kids in school.

 

[Towny9]

On Nov 16th the VSHL said that even with the spectator limits sports in VA are still scheduled to start and play on schedule. There may be no spectators but if that means my DD plays then I will be ok with that. We live in Chesapeake and our kids are still in school, albeit on a hybrid schedule but our school board is holding strong on keeping kids in school.

Small world - I’m in Chesapeake as well.

 

[hooham08]

On Nov 16th the VSHL said that even with the spectator limits sports in VA are still scheduled to start and play on schedule. There may be no spectators but if that means my DD plays then I will be ok with that. We live in Chesapeake and our kids are still in school, albeit on a hybrid schedule but our school board is holding strong on keeping kids in school.

They've canceled fall sports that were moved to winter in the Richmond areas, Buckingham Co, Charlotte Co that i know of and a few others. We are just a month in 2 days a week per kid in school learning and it's possibly going to cease. The gov will mandate further restrictions soon. I can't see Va playing ball this spring. I hope I'm wrong.

 

[hooham08]

I was being tongue in cheek..1 in 8 Americans currently report being food insecure. The country has more important things to worry about. That said, I see people on FB here in Oklahoma bitching that they are restricting access to 1 parent per kid in basketball games here in some towns when they should just be happy that the kids are playing at all. Memories with kids in sports are made outside of games..at home on the bucket, at the park hitting grounders or throwing BP, shooting hoops in the driveway, etc. Youth sports would be better off without parents at games. Granted I am a bit biased since I don't really enjoy watching my DD play in games.

That makes sense. I thought you were being snarky in the reply and i didn't understand where you were going. The travel tourney's we play in Va and in NC have had "restrictions" and a bunch of rules that are never enforced. Top Gun charged gate fees to the teams on top of entry fees to cover their income, or recover it. Nothing much changed there. Yet no school ball for us.

 

[FP26]

DD was told that this year will not count against her eligibility, which means she could be playing as a 24 yr old. Highly doubt that will happen, but it's there if she wants to. This goes for all DIII schools as I read it. Not sure if it is up to the individual institution if they allow it. Anyone hearing something different?

Here's an article from the school newspaper.
https://utdmercury.com/ncaa-implements-eligibility-waiver-for-d-iii-athletes/

DD plays at a D3. Right now their conference is planning a shortened season in the spring. I'm not sure that will happen, but it is the plan as of today. The 2020 season was not counted against them. So each player has that one season available to them at the moment. This could all change again in the next few months.

 

[Orange Socks]

DD plays at a D3. Right now their conference is planning a shortened season in the spring. I'm not sure that will happen, but it is the plan as of today. The 2020 season was not counted against them. So each player has that one season available to them at the moment. This could all change again in the next few months.

Based on what I have read, your DD should have this season(2021) not count as well per NCAA. Am I wrong? What has her school said.

I received a letter from our Athletic Director saying their priority is to have the parents attending in person games and please consider a $500 donation or a 13 month locker sponsorship ($2500) Meanwhile, I was talking to a dad whose DD attends another D3 in an overlapping conference in TX. He said his DD said something about parents NOT attending games. He said, Oh yeah. Who is gonna stop me! LOL! He played LB for TCU back in the late 80's. There is no choke points for entrance to their field. I told him to get a raised hunting chair and place himself in the outfield. College fields typically have screens or solid walls that you can't see through unlike local fields.

 

[_MIA_]

That makes sense. I thought you were being snarky in the reply

I kind of was being snarky....