High School Athletes Have a Right To Play

The last few sports seasons have been tough on athletes everywhere. Students and parents have a right to complain about not being able to play sports during the fall, and now, the winter as well. For many students this may be their last time to play sports in an organized league. Taking this season away from them is unfair, as it is not their fault the spread of coronavirus could not be stopped efficiently.

Students, especially seniors, have worked their entire lives to be able to represent our school on the field, or on the rink, or in the gym. In my opinion, some students may not be able to be as successful in school without being able to release their stress out on the field. I think some people’s grades may fall because of this, as sports are often a driving factor to do well in school.

However, I do not think suing the school would be beneficial. Doing this would take a lot of time, and immediate results would not follow. Signing a petition or trying to get the point across in an alternative way would be more beneficial to the students-athletes. I think if we are able to be in school – in person – there is no reason for students to not be able to play sports in an organized way. Sports play a big role in many students’ lives, and taking this from them could have negative consequences on their mental health, as well as their academics. 

According to an article, “The IHSA has and continues to believe that we can safely conduct high school sports in Illinois, including sports deemed medium- and high-risk by the Illinois Department of Public Health, throughout the 2020-21 school year,” (Anderson). Many people believe that sports will be able to operate under stricter guidelines. Still being able to play is what truly matters. I feel as though it is students’ rights to be able to play sports organized. Specifically for seniors it is unfair, as they’re missing their senior season which they will never get back.