Orange County Athletes Return To Sports Friday With Modifications

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA — If practice makes perfect, these high school athletes will be as close to perfection as it gets. On Friday, Orange County health officials acknowledged that outdoor sports competitions may resume in Orange County, albeit with modifications.

For almost a year, California high school athletes and club sports players of all ages have been sidelined due to the coronavirus pandemic.

While Sacramento has levied strict rules of no competitive play during the pandemic, a group of parents and athletes themselves have battled against Gov. Gavin Newsom's office and state health officials to prove that playing sports is not only healthy but a necessary aspect of life. Club sports families have traveled to Arizona, Utah, Florida, and other states to play baseball, soccer, softball, and other sports. Now, they can get back to doing what they love on their home turf, which parents and coaches say will be safer, all the way around.

“Orange County has lowered its COVID-19 case rate of less than 14 per 100,000 thanks to our communities’ diligence in helping slow the spread and the County’s vaccination efforts,” said Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors Andrew Do, who represents the First District. “Per the State’s guidance, this means certain outdoor sports competitions can resume once again. Something that many families have been looking forward to for months now.”

The State’s guidance applies to all organized youth and adult sports, including school and community-sponsored programs, and privately organized clubs and leagues. Outdoor sports competitions may resume in Purple Tier counties including Orange County with modifications that include testing requirements for certain outdoor high-contact sports. Outdoor moderate-contact sports, such as baseball, cheerleading, and softball, can be played in OC without the testing requirement.

How that testing will be handled remains to be outlined.

“As a strong supporter of youth sports, I’m very happy to see that students can compete in sports again,” said Vice Chairman Doug Chaffee, Fourth District. “Our children deserve to return to a sense of normalcy and allowing youth sports to resume is an important step in achieving that goal.”

Youth and adult sports include varied activities that have different levels of risk for transmission of COVID-19 depending on the physical contact between players. Outdoor activities that allow for the consistent wearing of face coverings and physical distancing are lower risk than indoor activities that involve close contact between participants and high exertion that increases the spread of exhaled particles.

One of the strongest proponents of the local "Let them Play" movement, Third District Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner applauded the move.

"It’s a small and overdue step. Society will be healthier if children can engage in outdoor activities. Competition for our kids is critical to them developing and testing their skills fully, both physical and emotional,” Wagner said. “I continue to fight for my constituents getting back to normal. We’ve seen how mental health has taken a hit due to the lockdowns. California is the only state to have such restrictions, and it’s past time to let them play.”

Supervisor Lisa Bartlett, fifth district, also spoke on the issue.

“I am very excited that our youth, who have been anxiously waiting for months to get back to competitive sports, now have the opportunity to compete,” Bartlett said. “I have always been a strong supporter of exploring all options that would allow our youth to safely resume outdoor sporting activities.”

For more information on examples of sports with different levels of contact and risk by tier, please visit www.cdph.ca.gov