Dear IHSA & IDPH - Let's the kids play Football!!

[LovetheDrake2]

IHSA & IDPH –


The kids have worked too hard to have their season cancelled, find a way! I am much more concerned with my son getting a concussion or tearing an ACL then getting Covid and passing it along to others. Kids have already been hanging out, practicing on their own w/ no coaches, etc. Coaches, parents, and boys know the risks of football, yes Covid is an additional risk but it is one that is worth taking, I can guarantee you 99% of all parents and players are willing to take the risk and play.

1. Have parents sign waivers releasing any liability from the high school or IHSA
2. Limit rosters to 40 players (some will have to play both ways), 8 coaches and 2 trainers on the sidelines during games to ensure no more than 50 people
3. Everyone gets their temperature taken before warm ups, if anyone has a fever they sit out
4. Everyone wears a mask on the sidelines, take them off when they enter the game
5. Reduce referees to 3 per game instead of 4. Yes some calls will get missed but it will go both ways.
6. Teams can huddle 5 yards farther then the LOS so they can be a bit more separated.
7. No high-fives or touching teammates during the game
8. No spitting
9. Immediate family and 250 students (by lottery) attend the games

The Kids want to play! Is there a risk by them playing football? Yes, but no more then by hanging out, going to the grocery store, going to the gym, etc. Have the parents and kids over 18 sign waivers and let’s play!!!

 

[net-se]

why have #7? everybody is going to be touching everybody anyway through blocking and tackling.

and i definitely don't like #5. i haven't seen a 4 man crew maybe outside of a frosh game in years.

and don't get me wrong. i gave your post a 'like' so i'm not trying to be a jerk to you. jmho.

 

[LovetheDrake2]

Contact from Blocking & Tackling is a must, the high-fives and hugs after a TD or big play is not a must, that is why I added it.

My suggestion in referees is due to the fact I assume there will be a shortage as some may not want to official this year. I know 3 refs is not ideal but if it allows us to play our games then I am fine with it.

I was in LaGrange yesterday and also Hinsdale, there were ton of baseball games being played and lacrosse practices. If 9 year old kids can play baseball/lacrosse then I think responsible 16-18 year old boys should be able to play as well. There is a way to minimize the risk, not eliminate it but that is impossible no matter what. As I said in an earlier post, the loss of football for many will be devastating and have far greater detriment then the risk of getting Covid.

 

[LakeCtyNewt]

Contact from Blocking & Tackling is a must, the high-fives and hugs after a TD or big play is not a must, that is why I added it.

My suggestion in referees is due to the fact I assume there will be a shortage as some may not want to official this year. I know 3 refs is not ideal but if it allows us to play our games then I am fine with it.

I was in LaGrange yesterday and also Hinsdale, there were ton of baseball games being played and lacrosse practices. If 9 year old kids can play baseball/lacrosse then I think responsible 16-18 year old boys should be able to play as well. There is a way to minimize the risk, not eliminate it but that is impossible no matter what. As I said in an earlier post, the loss of football for many will be devastating and have far greater detriment then the risk of getting Covid.

Wait did I read this right, losing out on a football season will be worse then getting Covid? I’m not real smart so please tell me that’s not what you’re saying here.

 

[Kevin JCHS 81]

Wait did I read this right, losing out on a football season will be worse then getting Covid? I’m not real smart so please tell me that’s not what you’re saying here.

I think he said "the loss of football for many will be devastating and have far greater detriment then the risk of getting Covid.".

I'm not trying to take sides here but the omission or addition of a couple key words really changes the overall meaning.

 

[corey90]

Wait did I read this right, losing out on a football season will be worse then getting Covid? I’m not real smart so please tell me that’s not what you’re saying here.

Lol Newt you read it right. Some people are a bit delusional. Let’s see if we never had football again the world would end? Come on man I love football but it’s not the end all to everything.

 

[LovetheDrake2]

My point is that the risks of Covid for 16-18 year old kids are extremely minimal and the majority of them are asymtomatic and would have no symptoms. Loss of football for many 16-18 year old kids will have a psychological (depression, sense of loss, etc) and financial (loss of scholarships) impact. I can assure you 99% of kids and parents would have no problem playing and be willing to sign a waiver to release any liability. My whole point of the initial post was to "find a way" to let these boys play and offer some suggestions that could minimize the risk.

 

[jforney2440]

Wait did I read this right, losing out on a football season will be worse then getting Covid? I’m not real smart so please tell me that’s not what you’re saying here.

We can't just keep lumping everything all together as if they are all the same. To a 14-18 year old the is most likely to a true by about a 1 in 100 chance. To me a 50 year old slightly overweight male, pretty sure that would not be the case since I was already able to play football till 24 and now just a spectator. Lets be honest about something if you think these kids are in a bubble somewhere hiding you are wrong they are in groups, they are participating in other sports. I don't care what they say about the contact of football is more than other sports but being all sweaty in a hot gym playing man to man defense and a thing they call a foul they are in close contact playing basketball without a mask. Seen plenty of lacrosse games not 9-10 year olds, 12-22 year olds all playing games. We still have not seen a uptick in positive tests for this age group and no one has stated where the LZ or QND tested positive but we just assume it was at a practice, I am guessing we never find out the real story there just to keep a narrative.

 

[corey90]

My point is that the risks of Covid for 16-18 year old kids are extremely minimal and the majority of them are asymtomatic and would have no symptoms. Loss of football for many 16-18 year old kids will have a psychological (depression, sense of loss, etc) and financial (loss of scholarships) impact. I can assure you 99% of kids and parents would have no problem playing and be willing to sign a waiver to release any liability. My whole point of the initial post was to "find a way" to let these boys play and offer some suggestions that could minimize the risk.

I wonder what the percentage would be if you polled the entire school? Does the risk increase when players go to class or mingle with kids that don’t play football? Does the risk increase to parents from players or other kids that they hung out with? I also haven’t see any evidence that kids can’t transmit the virus even though some hard core posters wanting us to believe they can’t. Ask Dr Fouchi if he agrees with that concept. Listen in reality I would love to see the kids play. People trying to warp the truth about this is mind boggling. Hypothetical question: I will ask it again if your son played football per your sign off. He then got sick and tested positive for covid then was put on a ventilator would you be able to live with yourself?

 

[jforney2440]

I wonder what the percentage would be if you polled the entire school? Does the risk increase when players go to class or mingle with kids that don’t play football? Does the risk increase to parents from players or other kids that they hung out with? I also haven’t see any evidence that kids can’t transmit the virus even though some hard core posters wanting us to believe they can’t. Ask Dr Fouchi if he agrees with that concept. Listen in reality I would love to see the kids play. People trying to warp the truth about this is mind boggling. Hypothetical question: I will ask it again if your son played football per your sign off. He then got sick and tested positive for covid then was put on a ventilator would you be able to live with yourself?

How many kids have been put on a ventilator since February? How many kids have died in cars accidents since February? Christ how many kids have died from gun violence since February? I had a college friends 19 year old daughter (college VB player) die in a car this week so I am a bit triggered at the moment. I can't control everything my teenagers do, but at the same time I am not losing sleep about covid anymore than I do when they are not a home for anything else.

 

[corey90]

How many kids have been put on a ventilator since February? How many kids have died in cars accidents since February? Christ how many kids have died from gun violence since February? I had a college friends 19 year old daughter (college VB player) die in a car this week so I am a bit triggered at the moment. I can't control everything my teenagers do, but at the same time I am not losing sleep about covid anymore than I do when they are not a home for anything else.

You didn’t answer my question. I’m guessing if my hypothetical question happened you would know the answer and you would lose plenty of sleep. That all said I certainly don’t wish anyone bad health and pray that no parent has be put in that situation.
We can agree on one thing we all would love to see the kids play especially if we can keep them safe and everyone else safe.

 

[LakeCtyNewt]

How many kids have been put on a ventilator since February? How many kids have died in cars accidents since February? Christ how many kids have died from gun violence since February? I had a college friends 19 year old daughter (college VB player) die in a car this week so I am a bit triggered at the moment. I can't control everything my teenagers do, but at the same time I am not losing sleep about covid anymore than I do when they are not a home for anything else.

How many people did those kids infect? Stop watching OAN and Fox

 

[sporthog9er]

I can answer that question Corey. If my son played football now and somehow ended up on a ventilator, I couldn't live with myself. But it wouldn't be because I let him play football. It would be because he's on a ventilator from covid. And I would realize he would be in the .0000001% of a case, and extreme outlier, and there nothing I could have done. Why? Because the kid is also playing with other friends, being exposed to parents and families, and could have gotten it from virtually any other place. There is NO way possible to determine and exact time location and date where you pick up covid.

If my sons emotional and mental well being would deteriorate from not playing football, and he wanted to, I would let him. In a heartbeat. We ALL need to stop spinning this into somehow 0-24 year olds are going to end up on a ventilator. They simply ARE NOT based on every data piece available. There's no use playing hypothetical when it isn't happening!

 

[sporthog9er]

How many people did those kids infect? Stop watching OAN and Fox

Kids aren't infected other people. Mountain of evidence supporting that from all over the world. Been documented on here in multiple threads. If that is what we are afraid of then we will NEVER allow kids to have sports, normal education, weddings or any large gathering again in the history of mankind. Not unless everyone gets vaccinated or this thing mysteriously dies. Because it will be here forever until shown otherwise.

 

[jforney2440]

How many people did those kids infect? Stop watching OAN and Fox

Nice try I don't watch either, I look at real data, show me data that they are spreading it, plenty of data from other countries that they are not spreading it, at least in published journals. If you have information that they are spreading send it to me would be willing to look at it and read it through.

Odd that your biggest issue with my comment is how many people those kids infected and to accuse me of being a right wing nut job. Nothing about the deaths of children under 18 by other means, One that we should all be concerned with and demand that we do better as a society.

 

[caravan8]

I can assure you 99% of kids and parents would have no problem playing and be willing to sign a waiver to release any liability

One issue here is that these waivers are not as iron clad as people may think. In some cases the courts find that the parents can’t legally sign away a minor’s right to litigation. And even if parents and kids sign the waiver, if the schools/coaches/IHSA could still be liable if there is any misstep in following procedures and protocols.

 

[jforney2440]

Kids aren't infected other people. Mountain of evidence supporting that from all over the world. Been documented on here in multiple threads. If that is what we are afraid of then we will NEVER allow kids to have sports, normal education, weddings or any large gathering again in the history of mankind. Not unless everyone gets vaccinated or this thing mysteriously dies. Because it will be here forever until shown otherwise.

The last world wide pandemic flu (1968-69) is still circulating around the globe and we have a vaccine for it and people still die from it every year.

 

[jforney2440]

You didn’t answer my question. I’m guessing if my hypothetical question happened you would know the answer and you would lose plenty of sleep. That all said I certainly don’t wish anyone bad health and pray that no parent has be put in that situation.
We can agree on one thing we all would love to see the kids play especially if we can keep them safe and everyone else safe.

Absolutely I would feel horrible, I would feel horrible if any of the things I mentioned to my children. My point is I am not going to lose sleep worrying about it before it happens because if I did I would never sleep because I would need be afraid of everything else that is more likely to happen.

 

[Kevin JCHS 81]

Lol Newt you read it right. Some people are a bit delusional. Let’s see if we never had football again the world would end? Come on man I love football but it’s not the end all to everything.

Since there is no "Dislike Button" can we change your screen name to "Little Debbie Downer"?

Talk about Delusional: could you live with yourself if you let one of your children drive or ride in a car AND they got into an accident and ended up on life support and you could have stopped it by locking them in the house?

I'm pretty sure if you imprisoned your children in your home, that would greatly reduce both their chances of getting Covid and getting into an accident. Doesn't that sound like a winning plan?

 

[jforney2440]

One issue here is that these waivers are not as iron clad as people may think. In some cases the courts find that the parents can’t legally sign away a minor’s right to litigation. And even if parents and kids sign the waiver, if the schools/coaches/IHSA could still be liable if there is any misstep in following procedures and protocols.

This is the probably the biggest single reason we are still sitting and waiting. If congress passed legislation providing protections for the schools (most likely won't happen) watch how fast things progress.

 

[Gene K.]

What have I learned so far: If I watch Fox news or OAN (whatever that is) I am a right winger. Question: If I watch CNN, NBC, or other main stream media am I a left winger? Personally I like my wings with a little hot sauce.
Secondly, I learned that Dr. Fauci, the nations health guru, is always right in everything he says? And flip flops don't count. Thirdly, statistical data about covid and other deaths should only be counted when those statistics agree with whatever your political leanings are.
Lastly, there is great concern from our state leaders over fans at a football game, a church gathering, restaurant openings, etc., but have absolutely no concern (other than a tsk, tsk) when it comes to gatherings involving protests, or political gatherings (with or without masks).

 

[LovetheDrake2]

Corey90, there are inherent risks for any teen age kid. Risk of them getting into a car accident, risk

 

[LovetheDrake2]

Let’s keep this thread on topic regarding finding a way w/ as minimum risk as possible for the boys to play football this season.

I suggested waivers, limiting rosters to 40 players (which means some teams will have to make it a cut sport), reducing number of referees, stands not immediate family and 250 students by lottery, etc.
I think this would mitigate the risk considerably. Anyone have any other thoughts or suggestions?

Plus I do agree w/ an earlier post that kids are handing out and going to pool parties and gyms which in my opinion are lot risky then playing football. If kids do get Covid most likely it is from another event then playing a football game

 

[corey90]

Since there is no "Dislike Button" can we change your screen name to "Little Debbie Downer"?

Talk about Delusional: could you live with yourself if you let one of your children drive or ride in a car AND they got into an accident and ended up on life support and you could have stopped it by locking them in the house?

I'm pretty sure if you imprisoned your children in your home, that would greatly reduce both their chances of getting Covid and getting into an accident. Doesn't that sound like a winning plan?

Hi Kevin first no to change the name Lol. Not trying to be a Debbie downer just trying to make a case for both sides. This thread seems to be one sided to how important football is to the kids. I just trying to state a case that long term health and life are the most important. We can spin this back and forth about all the different ways kids can get hurt etc. that’s not my point. Parents have a decision to make and it’s a difficult one that even the most experienced professionals are having a tough time making. Just trying to make people think about everything not just HS football. When I ready many of these posts it feels like the parents care more about playing than the actual players. By the way if I recall your in the high risk category right? Hope your safe and doing well my friend.

I really love HS football and want them to play if everyone agrees it’s safe.

 

[corey90]

Corey90, there are inherent risks for any teen age kid. Risk of them getting into a car accident, risk

Sure are but Covid is the topic and as much as we think we know about it we really don’t and honestly neither does many of the professionals. In this case I think the US can learn from some other countries that are doing much better than we are. Actually Europe has banned US flights. When was the last time that happened? We have no idea where all this is going all I know is HS Football is not at the top of major concerns for most of the population. Wouldn’t you agree?

 

[LakeCtyNewt]

Nice try I don't watch either, I look at real data, show me data that they are spreading it, plenty of data from other countries that they are not spreading it, at least in published journals. If you have information that they are spreading send it to me would be willing to look at it and read it through.

Odd that your biggest issue with my comment is how many people those kids infected and to accuse me of being a right wing nut job. Nothing about the deaths of children under 18 by other means, One that we should all be concerned with and demand that we do better as a society.

So if I get this straight then because the numbers are currently low we should take our chances and hope for the best because the death numbers are low even though the infection numbers are escalating at daily record paces. Is that what I am to understand? As a parent I’m not willing to allow my kids to be some “hope for the best stat.”

 

[sporthog9er]

Yes Lake because it isn't a hope for the best stat anymore. The stats are legitimate for 5 months all over the world. 0-24 year olds have zero risk of dying from covid. That's according to CDC, not Facebook or social media posts. It's so miniscule that CDC put the mortality rate to 0%. If the mortality rate is that low, you also know they aren't getting sick or being put on ventilators.

And the studies showing they aren't really big vectors of spreading isn't hope for the best either. It's data from multiple countries all over the world. It is completely safe for kids to be in school and play sports. It's also fairly safe for staff to be around them and outside. It's time to get going!

 

[LakeCtyNewt]

Yes Lake because it isn't a hope for the best stat anymore. The stats are legitimate for 5 months all over the world. 0-24 year olds have zero risk of dying from covid. That's according to CDC, not Facebook or social media posts. It's so miniscule that CDC put the mortality rate to 0%. If the mortality rate is that low, you also know they aren't getting sick or being put on ventilators.

And the studies showing they aren't really big vectors of spreading isn't hope for the best either. It's data from multiple countries all over the world. It is completely safe for kids to be in school and play sports. It's also fairly safe for staff to be around them and outside. It's time to get going!

Sorry but we will disagree and I won’t say that playing football is more important than Thai COVID situation.

I am as optimistic as anyone but the dice are already tumbling. Ivy League, non con games, Juco now In the spring, TCYFL shut down, preseason games cancelled.

I want football back but right now, safely, I don’t know that it’s possible.

 

[PowerI66]

New What have I learned so far: If I watch Fox news or OAN (whatever that is) I am a right winger. Question: If I watch CNN, NBC, or other main stream media am I a left winger? Personally I like my wings with a little hot sauce.

Here you go: https://www.adfontesmedia.com/intro-to-the-media-bias-chart/

 

[mc140]

There will be tens of thousands of kids in Illinois playing sports this fall. it is just a matter whether it will be school sponsored too.

 

[gobucsgo]

You know I could be wrong here. It won’t be the first time. Hopefully the last (tongue in cheek)., but we are arguing what football is going to be like.
Maybe we should be asking. What is school going to be like? We have districts that have 4 or more plans on how to reopen the school.
Districts don’t even know how school will reopen let alone having any kind of extra curricular activities.
So before we argue about football, maybe we should try to figure out how to get the kids in school first.
This year isn’t going to be easy.
And with people within any administration saying don’t wear a mask. It won’t help. And two weeks later imploring people to wear a mask doesn’t help.

 

[jforney2440]

So if I get this straight then because the numbers are currently low we should take our chances and hope for the best because the death numbers are low even though the infection numbers are escalating at daily record paces. Is that what I am to understand? As a parent I’m not willing to allow my kids to be some “hope for the best stat.”

Well it is most likely there are already a several thousand kids playing sports right now from 9-18 years of age. So unless you are just going to keep your kids in a bubble at home there is no way of stopping if you are correct, except that if you leave you are more likely to give it to them at home unless you all stay in separate rooms at home the entire time. They have been playing and practicing for over a month so where are all the outbreaks in the youth teams?

 

[Solid Snake Pliskin]

If your kids deteriorate because they couldn't play football for a season you failed as a parent.

 

[sporthog9er]

Ahhh now we're taking shots at how to parent instead of focusing on data and science, like what we have been told to do by our leaders. If you want to take shots at how to parent, feel free. I won't. I'll focus on what my kid wants and what I feel is best, and everyone else can do the same. Thanks

 

[bronco man]

Maybe we should be asking. What is school going to be like? We have districts that have 4 or more plans on how to reopen the school.
Districts don’t even know how school will reopen let alone having any kind of extra curricular activities.
So before we argue about football, maybe we should try to figure out how to get the kids in school first.
This year isn’t going to be easy.
And with people within any administration saying don’t wear a mask. It won’t help. And two weeks later imploring people to wear a mask doesn’t help.

At long last the voice of reason makes an appearance.

 

[sporthog9er]

You know I could be wrong here. It won’t be the first time. Hopefully the last (tongue in cheek)., but we are arguing what football is going to be like.
Maybe we should be asking. What is school going to be like? We have districts that have 4 or more plans on how to reopen the school.
Districts don’t even know how school will reopen let alone having any kind of extra curricular activities.
So before we argue about football, maybe we should try to figure out how to get the kids in school first.
This year isn’t going to be easy.
And with people within any administration saying don’t wear a mask. It won’t help. And two weeks later imploring people to wear a mask doesn’t help.

Very good point, but I think most of us know what school is going to look like, right? We've seen the ISBE guidelines, and most school districts have come out with their plans. Parents right now are choosing which models they want from many of the districts that are offering in person, hybrid or full remote. Yeah it's going to be different (and in my opinion fully inferior to the past), but we should have an idea now. We're going to have school in the buildings no matter what. For how long who knows. But for most districts kids will be there in some capacity in a couple weeks.

 

[mc140]

You know I could be wrong here. It won’t be the first time. Hopefully the last (tongue in cheek)., but we are arguing what football is going to be like.
Maybe we should be asking. What is school going to be like? We have districts that have 4 or more plans on how to reopen the school.
Districts don’t even know how school will reopen let alone having any kind of extra curricular activities.
So before we argue about football, maybe we should try to figure out how to get the kids in school first.
This year isn’t going to be easy.
And with people within any administration saying don’t wear a mask. It won’t help. And two weeks later imploring people to wear a mask doesn’t help.

Everyone will be shut down by October 1st under current guidelines. If a kids test positive everyone they are in contact with need 14 days out. So say you get four kids who all have different teachers. Then you got 24 teachers plus all the kids they are within six feet of throughout the day out.

 

[Solid Snake Pliskin]

Ahhh now we're taking shots at how to parent instead of focusing on data and science, like what we have been told to do by our leaders. If you want to take shots at how to parent, feel free. I won't. I'll focus on what my kid wants and what I feel is best, and everyone else can do the same. Thanks

Just giving the facts. This is a perfect opportunity to teach life's lessons to your kid. Instead some have taken the opportunity to cry about it. Things happen, life isn't always fair. In this case we as a country couldn't get our collective *stuff* together in order to stop the virus and this is the consequence. Unfortunately we may just have to accept it and learn from it.

 

[jforney2440]

Just some Data from Illinois today, not age based, just total number about hospitals from IDPH

Statewide
35065 beds available
14145 beds open not being used
19578 beds NON Covid-19 patients
1342 beds Covid-19 patients

6.41% of hospital patients Covid-19 positive
93.59% of hospital patients negative
Covid-19 patients are occupying
3.83% of all the beds in Illinois

I don't know what my point is but the numbers are not adding up in my head, it seems that the curve has been flattened by quite a bit. That's what I thought we were trying to do. So I don't know what we are trying to do now, because I am not convinced that a vaccine (if it was that easy we would have on for the common cold - a coronavirus) is coming or enough people will be willing to take it to have any effect.

If there is no vaccine what levels do we need to be at so that the willing majority are allowed to play football or any sport for that matter or is it all just over?

 

[echochamber]

Just some Data from Illinois today, not age based, just total number about hospitals from IDPH

Statewide
35065 beds available
14145 beds open not being used
19578 beds NON Covid-19 patients
1342 beds Covid-19 patients

6.41% of hospital patients Covid-19 positive
93.59% of hospital patients negative
Covid-19 patients are occupying
3.83% of all the beds in Illinois

I don't know what my point is but the numbers are not adding up in my head, it seems that the curve has been flattened by quite a bit. That's what I thought we were trying to do. So I don't know what we are trying to do now, because I am not convinced that a vaccine (if it was that easy we would have on for the common cold - a coronavirus) is coming or enough people will be willing to take it to have any effect.

If there is no vaccine what levels do we need to be at so that the willing majority are allowed to play football or any sport for that matter or is it all just over?

No vaccine has successfully eradicated a corona virus.
There is a common asthma drug being used to treat people with the symptoms of the virus. The drug works because the virus is an inflammatory virus that attacks the lungs, and this drug is an anti-inflammatory. It's not getting talked about because it is a cheap drug and there is no money to be made.

If you want a different view on what works and what doesn't, look up Dr. Scott Atlas at the Hoover Institute at Stanford University. He has written articles and done at least one podcast. He talks about the affect of the virus on children, and he talks about re-opening schools. He talks about the impact of lockdowns on people. I believe he was educated at the University of Illinois and the University of Chicago.

He's worth a listen no matter what your political leanings.