“If we feel it’s safe, if parents feel … and coaches feel like they can implement safety rules, give us the choice,” Erin Stein said. “If parents are willing to do it, why not give it a shot?” asked Joe Reid, a local youth football coach. Parents and coaches also advocated for the student athletes during the rally. “We miss all of our friends like coming and playing sports with us, having fun and the fun of winning, and even if we lose we’re still a good team,” she said. Her daughter, Olivia, an incoming freshman at Upper Dublin High School, participates in field hockey, lacrosse and swimming, and she came out to the rally on Monday to show her support. “Every level, every grade … has its own unique need … for sports to happen, and I think it’s so important to show people what kind of interest there is from 12th graders down to first graders,” Vitella said Upper Dublin has so many great offerings, so many great coaches, so many parents are involved,” Erin said. “They get something different from each sport. With three children playing sports while attending Upper Dublin School District schools, Erin and George Stein said they know firsthand how important it is. School is involuntary, this is voluntary,” she said. “I know a lot of us feel we’re not given a choice when it came to in-person or virtual school and we are dealing with that, but this needs to be a choice. “Sports are so beneficial to so many kids, and now we need something to counterbalance all this screen time that they’re now going to be introducing into their lives,” she said.Įrin launched an online petition to “let the kids play sports,” that garnered 518 signatures as of Tuesday afternoon. His wife, Erin, added the virtual learning environment will have students spending more time in front of a computer or other technological device. “It was really difficult finding out the news that kids weren’t gonna have school and we feel like this is kind of our last hope to give them some sort of structure in their life,” said George Stein, a local youth football coach. The school board’s decision had mixed reactions from area residents. “While the list of concerns and the information to alleviate those concerns is not comprehensive, we remain committed to supporting our entire community as we move forward.”Īccording to the Montgomery County COVID-19 resources page, Upper Dublin Township has had 260 coronavirus cases and 17 deaths since March. “As we continue navigating conditions, the entire staff of UDSD remains committed to supporting our students and community during these challenging times,” Yanni said in a July 28 letter. The Upper Dublin School District Board of Directors authorized a virtual learning plan for its six schools during the first marking period, which lasts until Nov. The organization determined the decisions should be made at the local level. The decision came in the wake of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Friday announcement regarding fall sports.
“I think the kids are pretty much ready to do whatever it takes, and really just want a shot at participating in their sports this year,” said Ginny Vitella, an Upper Dublin School District parent and organizer of Monday’s rally. 31 for girls and boys soccer, girls and boys cross country, girls tennis, field hockey, golf, and cheer, according to Yanni, who added that football practice would begin on Sept. “Coaches and student-athletes will be expected to continue to follow any/all protocols established by the UDSD’s Covid-19 Health and Safety Plan and implement the additional considerations to return to competitions released from the PIAA,” Yanni said in a statement Tuesday morning.
All coaches and student-athletes must complete medical screenings, including questionnaires and temperature checks,.According to Yanni, coaches and students must comply with the following COVID-19 health and safety protocols in order to participate: