With the school five months into the third semester following COVID-19 protocol, it’s time for Pierce College to allow student athletes to resume competition.
In April, the County of Los Angeles Public Health updated the protocol for youth and adult recreational sports leagues, allowing indoor sports activities including training, conditioning, contact practice and competitions to return while following proper COVID guidelines.
LA’s Public Health Department requires that collegiate sports teams regularly test for COVID, implement a Return to Play Safety Plan and maintain a 25% maximum occupancy for indoor sports.
With these regulations in mind, it should not be difficult to allow outdoor and indoor sport athletes to return to the field and court.
Still, while regulations on athletic activities are lessening and high school teams in the area are returning to competition, LACCD has opted out of Spring I and II sports and canceled the 2020-2021 seasons for football, basketball, water Polo, soccer, baseball, softball, swimming and diving.
As outdoor athletic competitions resumed in Los Angeles Unified School District schools in March, Pierce should give athletes the same opportunity.
In terms of outdoor sports, there is no excuse not to be able to follow COVID regulations, and accomplishing the same for indoor sports is also realistic.
This is noticeable when looking at neighboring schools, including Taft Charter High School, Chatsworth High School and El Camino Real Charter High School, which are competing in sports that include volleyball and golf.
And the resumption of competition is not exclusive to high school athletics. Community college students at schools such as Santa Monica College, Moorpark College and Ventura College have been competing.
Other schools have been successful in implementing safety protocols. Pierce should follow their example to have students return to competition.
