Corona Virus Quarantine Day #216: The Fight Goes On! October 24, 2020:
Today was a great day. Today was a sad day. It totally depends on how you look at it. In August, we weren’t sure we’d play competitive sports in high school. I’m so glad we did.
In October there are still 14 states not competing in high school sports. That is a travesty.
I don’t want to overlook the fact that we are playing…and I am grateful. However, I cannot sit here tonight and tell you I’m as happy as I should be, because I am not.
There is a group of people who have the opportunity to do the right thing. They are choosing to ignore my correspondence. There is a group of people who have the opportunity to look at the facts in front of them, they are choosing to ignore them.
The facts are this….
Anyone who has looked at this situation can see the executive board treated boys and girls differently this year. No one seems has an answer for this.
Was it an oversight? Maybe.
But the lack of response to my repeated pleas seem to suggest otherwise.
I am left to believe that when decisions were made the executive board had one sport and only one sport in mind. I am left to believe that the executive board doesn’t care as much about girl’s golf, girl’s volleyball, girl’s tennis or cross country. I am unsure of what else there is to believe. The evidence speaks for itself.
To be clear, this isn’t an issue with football. I support football, my sons play it. I enjoy watching it. I know they have had more challenges with Covid than many other sports. I wish all the boys and coaches that will start their playoffs in the coming weeks the best of luck.
This is an issue of inequality. Plain and simple. The decision makers at the state decided to apply different rules to football than they did for everyone else for post-season play and therein lies my confusion and frustration.
I’m not going to lie to you… I am worn out…I’m tired. I have been in sports my entire life. In that time, I have seen this inequality play out time and time again. And, again, to be honest, I’m done.
I will not sit idly by while decisions are made that impact both girls and boys in our state that don’t consider them.
If you want to see my original post on this, please read it. Again and again. I can’t be more passionate about this (link below).
If you want to help impact change…please sign the petition (link below).
GOD bless those that already have.
Perhaps the highlight of my night was hearing Bryan, my husband, recall a conversation he had with our two older boys about this very thing. He explained it to them this way (they are 10), if CYO decided to allow Ellen (their 10-year-old sister) to play basketball this winter and not you boys, would you be upset? Their answer was of course, yes. The best part…they asked question after question about why this happened, why they couldn’t fix it, why they would treat girls differently than boys. Our 10-year-old sons get it and have perhaps learned a lesson that will make them better men, better husbands and some day better fathers. At least we can hang my hat on that.
We will make a difference. We will. I feel it in my bones.
#dorseyshenanigans
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#Celebr8Awesome 