Petition For Capital Region Schools to Allow Spectators at Winter Sports

Last year, all across the Capital Region, families, students, and spectators weren't allowed to be in the building to cheer on their local schools. Well, there are a ton of people at local high schools that are petitioning for that to end for this year's winter sports season. The Wasaren League consists of eleven schools including my alma mater, Mechanicville. The petition has been in circulation for a few days now.

Although I have only seen the petition pass through Mechanicville because it was issued to all in the Wasaren League, I wouldn't be surprised if more leagues in Section 2 start their own.

What's The Petition Say?

In part, the petition states that they can work closely with the Superintendents and Principals of all of the schools inside the Wasaren League to make a safe plan to allow spectators in all of the winter sports. This includes basketball, bowling, wrestling, and all other winter sports that are held indoors.

This is the Wording in the Actual Petition

We are asking for your support by signing a petition to allow parents and students to watch their children and classmates compete in high school sports this winter. At this time, the Wasaren League Superintendents have communicated that: spectators may not be allowed, a limited number of spectators to be allowed,  no Visitor Spectators to be allowed.

Join with us in telling the Wasaren League organization and their Superintendents and Athletic Directors that we want to see our children and classmates compete and that we can act responsibly and safely if given this opportunity.

We believe that Wasaren League area school districts can create a safe plan for spectators to attend competitions this winter as they did for Volleyball this fall. Winter Sports shouldn't be penalized because of bigger crowd sizes. After 2 years of COVID, we need to move forward and not backward.

I am not sure what will happen but I am hopeful that the student-athletes will be able to have a large crowd at their games this winter. I played high school sports and there is nothing like your family and friends there to cheer you on. There is no better feeling and these kids should have that opportunity again. Hopefully, there will be a way to make this happen again.

The cutouts were cool, but cutouts are too quiet in my opinion.