Thoughts on the Lansing Protest.

Written Saturday August 29th at 1:00 PM

Thursday and Friday night was supposed to be the start of football for 2020. Players in helmets, pads, jerseys battling it out for their school to earn that trip to Ford Field.

However there was no whistles, flags, or hitting on football fields played on those two days.

Volleyball and swimming and diving have been practicing outdoors but they can’t get indoors.

Instead there was a protest in Lansing.

Numerous football players, cheerleaders, volleyball players, parents, and coaches throughout the state went to the capital in protest demanding that Governor Gretchen Whitmer for them to play.

Whitmer has an executive order on indoor gyms which has impacted volleyball and girls swimming in most of the state and boys soccer was also in limbo as well. In the Upper Peninsula and areas around Alpena and Traverse City they are going as business as usual.

People have blamed MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl for not letting certain sports start back up. Uyl did everything right, he and the league are following Whitmer’s executive orders like everybody else. Uyl and the MHSAA gave the go ahead for all fall sports except for football which was moved to the spring last week.

But the reason the most of the state can’t enjoy the rest of the sports starting up is on Whitmer, not Uyl.

The MHSAA did send out a statement regarding the protest “We empathize with these players and understand their disappointment. We will continue to advocate for these student-athletes”

This didn’t have to be this way if Whitmer allowed students to play. This didn’t have to be politicized sadly she made it that way. Kids are citizens as well, they will be future voters, why are they the ones getting punished??? Yes there are risks and no one wants to get this virus but the mental and emotional aspect of not playing might be worth getting the virus even though the virus is deadly.

The majority of schools are starting online but some schools are starting in person or a hybrid. Most athletic and extra circular activities are in smaller groups, not large gatherings.

Detroit Public Schools superintendent Nikolai Vitti sent a letter to Whitmer and Uyl to reinstate football even though I doubt that will happen.

The majority of sports are played to gain new friends, relationships, and for kids to fit in. Very few play them for college scholarships.

I noticed that the majority that have democratic governors are not playing football in the fall which further enhance the political debate.

What the protest in Lansing showed is the strong majority of athletes, coaches, parents, and support staff through the State is unified when it comes to athletics.

It’s time for Whitmer to step up and let the kids play.