Petition To Save Sports Nears Signature Goal

ILLINOIS — Tifanie Schmale is concerned about the more than 300,000 high school athletes in the state. The Nashville, Illinois resident recently started an online petition to ensure sports are played in Illinois this fall amid the coronavirus pandemic.

With a goal of reaching 25,000 signatures, the petition, called "Let Us Play Illinois High School Sports," had received more than 15,000 as of Friday. The petition was started on July 15.

Schmale said she wants to submit the petition to Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Illinois High School Association, Illinois Department of Public Health and school administrators across the state.

"We love to compete and hear the cheers from the crowds. But right now, the bleachers are silent, the gyms are empty, the gates are closed," Schmale said in the petition. "We athletes have suddenly lost the only way of life that we have ever known. And for many of us, this is our last opportunity to play with our teammates, to compete for our school, or to earn a scholarship."

On her Twitter account, Schmale has been posting video testimonials for several weeks from athletes pleading for state officials to make sure sports happen this fall.

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On Wednesday, IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson hinted at the possibility all sports could be delayed until 2021 in an email to athletic directors across the state. In the email, Anderson said the IHSA is considering a schedule that would permit all three seasons of sport activity during the 2020-2021 school year. He states that his organization remains "limited in our ability to offer all of our fall sports this fall."

Under the current structure, fall sports include: football, field hockey (non IHSA), boys soccer, cross-country, girls swimming and diving, golf, girls tennis and girls volleyball.

Earlier this week, Anderson announced the IHSA will take part in a round table discussion with leaders from the IDPH and the Illinois State Board of Education on Friday.

"We expect this meeting will provide important guidance on how the IHSA will proceed with fall sports," Anderson said in a statement.

As a result, an IHSA board meeting previously scheduled for Wednesday was moved to July 29.

"We athletes and our coaches have worked hard on and off the field, and we miss the feeling of pride we have when we compete with other athletes," Schmale said."We know that our health and safety must be a top priority, but we believe a plan can be put together with the right guidelines in place that would allow us to play and fulfill our dreams. Please work to find a way to let us compete."

Related:
Sports Delayed Until 2021? IHSA Considering The Possibility
Lawyer Sues IHSA On Behalf Of His Kids, Other Student-Athletes
Contact Days Can Begin Sunday For High School Athletes: IHSA
IHSA Reveals Guidelines For High School Athletes Resuming Play