Dear Honorable Governor Inslee, Washington State Department of Health, and members of the Washington State Legislature:
As parents, grandparents, friends and family of student athletes in the great state of Washington, we urge you to provide competitive sports to our students without delay.
According to the American Pediatric Association: ‘Re-engaging in sports activities with friends has both physical and psychological health benefits for children and adolescents. Participating in sports allows youth to improve their cardiovascular health, strength, body composition, and overall fitness.’*
The benefits of competitive sports are many:**
- Consistently higher grades
- More confidence, leadership, and self-respect
- More likely to earn a college degree
- Better at setting goals and managing time
- Stronger peer relationships
- Better attachment with adults
- Closer sense of family
- Increase in volunteerism
- Less likely to engage in high-risk behavior
- Greater sense of initiative, persistence and personal responsibility
- Decreased likelihood to use drugs, smoke cigarettes and carry weapons
While missing out on athletics, especially in high school, offers the following:
- Depression, thoughts of suicide, isolation
- Decreased physical health
- Loss of motivation
- Decrease in grades
With the potential loss of competitive sports this Spring, many of our athletes will have lost two of four seasons of high school sports. This leaves our students with few opportunities for college scholarships. Conversely, the majority of our 50 states are open for high school sports, giving their athletes a huge competitive advantage over Washington State athletes. For many lower income families, sports scholarships are their only way to provide an education for their student athlete.
We highly encourage you to open up sports for all of our student athletes in the state of Washington immediately.
Thank you for your consideration.
Source
*https://services.aap.org/en/pages/2019-novel-coron...
**https://www.atyourownrisk.org/benefits-of-sports/#...
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
January 7, 2021
Reached 100 supporters
December 30, 2020
175 Comments
Our students need to play. I am the academic advisor at ar high school.and the lack of sports, and required eligibility to play is harming my struggling and high achieving students. Mental health, motivation, physical wellness, self esteem and scholarships are all being harmed.
Not only sports, but also other healthy activities such as band, Sports Med, and drama. Our kids need these for their mental, social, physical, and emotional health. We have kids who are wanting to work towards their college education and athletics.
Dear MR Governor, Please allow the kids to compete in CC this year, we did it in Louisiana in a modified way and the kids and parents and coaches did a wonderful job helping us be able to have a season!
Sports are a huge part of kids lives. My kids are happier, healthier and get far better grades when they are involved in sports. Please let them participate!
Students can go to school AND play sports safely! They need both for their education and for their emotional-psychological well-being. It's not just about entertainment...it is a big motivator in the life of many students across our state and country. Apathy and depression are much more dangerous to our youth than Covid.
Please allow our youth to engage in school sports and have a normal year, for their physical and mental health and for the betterment and benefit of our state.
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Dear Honorable Governor Inslee, Washington State Department of Health, and members of the Washington State Legislature:
As parents, grandparents, friends and family of student athletes in the great state of Washington, we urge you to provide competitive sports to our students without delay.
According to the American Pediatric Association: ‘Re-engaging in sports activities with friends has both physical and psychological health benefits for children and adolescents. Participating in sports allows youth to improve their cardiovascular health, strength, body composition, and overall fitness.’*
The benefits of competitive sports are many:**
- Consistently higher grades
- More confidence, leadership, and self-respect
- More likely to earn a college degree
- Better at setting goals and managing time
- Stronger peer relationships
- Better attachment with adults
- Closer sense of family
- Increase in volunteerism
- Less likely to engage in high-risk behavior
- Greater sense of initiative, persistence and personal responsibility
- Decreased likelihood to use drugs, smoke cigarettes and carry weapons
While missing out on athletics, especially in high school, offers the following:
- Depression, thoughts of suicide, isolation
- Decreased physical health
- Loss of motivation
- Decrease in grades
With the potential loss of competitive sports this Spring, many of our athletes will have lost two of four seasons of high school sports. This leaves our students with few opportunities for college scholarships. Conversely, the majority of our 50 states are open for high school sports, giving their athletes a huge competitive advantage over Washington State athletes. For many lower income families, sports scholarships are their only way to provide an education for their student athlete.
We highly encourage you to open up sports for all of our student athletes in the state of Washington immediately.
Thank you for your consideration.
Source
*https://services.aap.org/en/pages/2019-novel-coron...
**https://www.atyourownrisk.org/benefits-of-sports/#...
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
January 7, 2021
Reached 100 supporters
December 30, 2020
175 Comments
As an ex collegiate athlete, it makes me sick that these kids are being stripped of their opportunities to get to the next level. It’s devastating
Our students need to play. I am the academic advisor at ar high school.and the lack of sports, and required eligibility to play is harming my struggling and high achieving students. Mental health, motivation, physical wellness, self esteem and scholarships are all being harmed.
Not only sports, but also other healthy activities such as band, Sports Med, and drama. Our kids need these for their mental, social, physical, and emotional health. We have kids who are wanting to work towards their college education and athletics.
Dear MR Governor, Please allow the kids to compete in CC this year, we did it in Louisiana in a modified way and the kids and parents and coaches did a wonderful job helping us be able to have a season!
Sports are a huge part of kids lives. My kids are happier, healthier and get far better grades when they are involved in sports. Please let them participate!
Students can go to school AND play sports safely! They need both for their education and for their emotional-psychological well-being. It's not just about entertainment...it is a big motivator in the life of many students across our state and country. Apathy and depression are much more dangerous to our youth than Covid.
Please allow our youth to engage in school sports and have a normal year, for their physical and mental health and for the betterment and benefit of our state.
I signed this petition so u should
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As an ex collegiate athlete, it makes me sick that these kids are being stripped of their opportunities to get to the next level. It’s devastating