New Northam guidance needs change

[Cougardave]

It's time to express your displeasure at the most recent guidance concerning sports and recreation, as well as the fact that no additional thought was given to cheer/band participation in these outdoor events without having to take away from parents being able to see their students play. The mixed messages coming from Richmond are not a good look for the Commonwealth and reflect poor leadership decisions.

If anything, athletic events should be something we can use to bring our communities back to a sense of normalcy faster rather than creating the divide that Governor Northam has now caused. This should also, as he has said all along, be a more local decision as the local leaders have a better understanding of what is going on in their own back yard than someone sitting in an office in Richmond does. That has been his sentiment all along to this point, but now it suddenly changes why? He says, "We need people to be outside" out of one side of his mouth, only to say, "Outdoor entertainment events can have 30% or 1,000 attendees but athletics can only have 30% or 250 attendees, and cheer/band counts as attendees not participants."

Read the story. Click on the link and send the Governor a message that you feel this decision is incorrect. Get the moms involved. If anybody can make this change happen, the moms can. Release the Karen Army!

Story Link

 

[PHSBlue&Gold]

It's time to express your displeasure at the most recent guidance concerning sports and recreation, as well as the fact that no additional thought was given to cheer/band participation in these outdoor events without having to take away from parents being able to see their students play. The mixed messages coming from Richmond are not a good look for the Commonwealth and reflect poor leadership decisions.

If anything, athletic events should be something we can use to bring our communities back to a sense of normalcy faster rather than creating the divide that Governor Northam has now caused. This should also, as he has said all along, be a more local decision as the local leaders have a better understanding of what is going on in their own back yard than someone sitting in an office in Richmond does. That has been his sentiment all along to this point, but now it suddenly changes why? He says, "We need people to be outside" out of one side of his mouth, only to say, "Outdoor entertainment events can have 30% or 1,000 attendees but athletics can only have 30% or 250 attendees, and cheer/band counts as attendees not participants."

Read the story. Click on the link and send the Governor a message that you feel this decision is incorrect. Get the moms involved. If anybody can make this change happen, the moms can. Release the Karen Army!

Story Link

I totally get where you're coming from. You make good points but my thoughts are this,,,,,, as much as this country (and world for that matter) has endured over the past 365 days until now, we're very fortunate to get any athletic activities. With things slowly beginning to reopen, we must be patient and be thankful for any sports as this pandemic slowly continues to show signs of decrease. People are still dying out here. So again let's be patient as this should still be a careful and strategic path back to normalcy.

 

[longtimerhsfan]

First of all thanks for your post. I must admit that when I heard the news today, I thought we would be in pretty good shape for football because my initial understanding was that the 30%/1,000 maximum would apply to football games, but now I guess I am seeing that differently and the limit for football will only be 250, which is of course a horse of a different color, especially if that figure has to also include band, cheerleaders, etc.

So now I am not sure if we are any better off than we already were. Exactly what other "outdoor events" WILL be allowed to have up to a thousand people we might ask?

My common sense tells me that it would be just as practical to take temperatures at the gates and/or let people in if they provided proof of vaccination cards. But I guess I am speaking from the viewpoint of someone who has waited not-so-patiently for 15 months for football to begin again.

 

[lyhsports]

Let’s see what happens with 250, then hopefully by mid season and beyond they increase the attendance cap.

 

[schoolboard]

Season only 6 games long, and my school already lost 1 of 3 home games to soggy field. Wait and see and spring sports will be here.

 

[longtimerhsfan]

Every time I think I have a handle on these new guidelines, I see something else that confuses me. Today that "something else" was a story about JMU football. They have a home game this Saturday, as in the 27th before the governor's new rules kick in, so yes they can only have family members present at that game. I get that part.

But this article went on to talk about their next home game, set for March 13th, and talked about how they were looking forward to welcoming up to 1,000 spectators for that one. Yet we are being told that for high school ball, even after March 1, the maximum number allowed will be 250. Supposedly this is because high school football fits into a different category of activity.

But football is football isn't it, and outdoors is outdoors, so can someone help me understand why a college game might be able to have that many but a high school game cannot?

 

[Bo Bob]

I totally get where you're coming from. You make good points but my thoughts are this,,,,,, as much as this country (and world for that matter) has endured over the past 365 days until now, we're very fortunate to get any athletic activities. With things slowly beginning to reopen, we must be patient and be thankful for any sports as this pandemic slowly continues to show signs of decrease. People are still dying out here. So again let's be patient as this should still be a careful and strategic path back to normalcy.

While I agree that I'm glad they are playing and my son is getting to play his senior year. I sat on the film crew of our game last night in the away bleachers of Altavista. Myself, another camera person and the stats guy. THREE of us in the away bleacher that probably could seat 400-500 folks. I would love for someone to explain to me how you can't put AT VERY LEAST put 20 -26 seniors parents in those away bleachers (for any away game). There was PLENTY of room for those folks!!!
Parents are being robbed of the chance to watch their children compete in their final season of sports and it should not be!!

 

[iDidntGetBanned]

Tennessee and South Carolina opened games up to the public this fall. No issues at all...

 

[Bo Bob]

Tennessee and South Carolina opened games up to the public this fall. No issues at all...

Imagine that!!!!!!

 

[Ampipe_High]

Every time I think I have a handle on these new guidelines, I see something else that confuses me. Today that "something else" was a story about JMU football. They have a home game this Saturday, as in the 27th before the governor's new rules kick in, so yes they can only have family members present at that game. I get that part.

But this article went on to talk about their next home game, set for March 13th, and talked about how they were looking forward to welcoming up to 1,000 spectators for that one. Yet we are being told that for high school ball, even after March 1, the maximum number allowed will be 250. Supposedly this is because high school football fits into a different category of activity.

But football is football isn't it, and outdoors is outdoors, so can someone help me understand why a college game might be able to have that many but a high school game cannot?

Here is another point to consider on the JMU topic. JMU plays a home game and is allowed the up to 1,000 spectators, then immediately following their game or even the Friday prior, high school teams are using JMU's field, but can only have 250. It's the same facility, but has two totally different set of guidelines!

 

[longtimerhsfan]

Actually the JMU game should fall under the old guidelines for this Saturday's game, since the new 1,000 allotment of fans does not kick in until Monday. So both games will be family only for the most part.

 

[Lafayette]

For games in Williamsburg at Wanner Stadium the fan limit is still zero, not even the Governor’s limit of 250. The stadium holds 3,000. Oh yeah, the police issued a memo that said no one can even stand by the fence outside the stadium. And they wonder why things are the way they are.