Colorado High School Activities Association is hurting our youth

I had the opportunity to partake in one of my favorite hometown activities this week: supporting local high school student athletes. Well, sort of. The few parents who were selected to actually attend the event thoughtfully videoed the events live for the rest of us to watch — thank you, parents.

I also tried to learn a little more about the reasoning for the current dictates placed on high school sports. Rules that allow only two spectators per participant, which means that a family must choose between a parent and a sibling being present to cheer on their student athlete. Very seldom now do grandparents attend, grandparents who used to be the most dedicated fans of our rural students.

What I learned is that Colorado High School Activities Association is completely off their rocker, with seemingly no rhyme or reason for their decrees.

For example, basketball players must wear masks, which restricts their breathing in this strenuous sport — a clear health hazard, especially for our kids affected with asthma or other respiratory conditions. We know that is not a Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment rule, as even they allow both college and professional athletes to compete without these restrictions.

We also know that surrounding states, such as Nebraska, are completely open and place no restrictions on their athletics — their students are unmasked and their stands are full. Again, we observe a stark difference in red and blue states’ pandemic policies: Red states use common sense and compassion for their students’ mental and physical health, while here in Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and CHSAA force our kids to play “masketball” and ignore the pleas of our high school students for stability and normalcy.

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