HEALTHY FAMILY
Playing it Safe
Youth sports in the COVID-19 climate
D uring this pandemic, so many cher-
ished routines have been sacrificed,
and the loss of sports is one that really
stings for lots of kids. Not only do sports pro-
vide a way to stay fit and have fun, but they are
also sources of socialization and confidence.

And, of course, they are outlets for stress relief
for kids who are feeling isolated and fearful in
today’s world.

Some of us were able to keep our kids busy
in the spring and summer with outdoor activ-
ities. Camps were operational with added
precautions, and a number of sports teams
were thankful to continue some degree of
practice time (with or without the ability to
compete in matchups). As the weather cools
and many sports move indoors, there will be
added challenges for organizers, parents and
young athletes.

So, we wonder: Will kids be able to stay
involved and active and avoid decondition-
ing as they await return to the games they
love? I checked in with three local experts to
see where they stand on the subject of youth
sports during these precarious months.

Kids need to play
Alex Jacobs, owner of Coppermine Field-
house, runs their facilities in Baltimore
County and Carroll County, and oversaw ser-
vicing of more than 4,000 sports campers this
summer, with abundant protocols including
temperature checks, sanitizing stations and
controlled drop-off and pickup areas. Masks
were mandated in public spaces, but camps
were exempted.

Jacobs looked at risks for coronavirus in
youth under age 19 and felt confident his crews
could manage participants and regulate the
environment. “Coppermine is a private entity, with cus-
tomers. Everyone who enters the facility has
been sent protocols in advance,” he says. “If
they want to participate, they will follow pro-
tocols. If people understand the amount of
caution being put into operations, they will see
32 WashingtonFAMILY SEPTEMBER 2020
that it is probably safer to do these organized
activities than it is to go to a store or other pub-
lic places.”
“Kids need to play sports,” Jacobs says.

“Parents need this help, too. It’s exhausting,
physically and mentally ... not just to do all the
things grownups need to do, but also to man-
age keeping a child active and involved.”
Parents understand the risk, and the paren-
tal feedback collected by Coppermine was
overwhelmingly positive, with about 90 per-
cent of parents being all-in, and the other 10
percent feeling extra cautious, he says. The
kids who have stopped playing out of caution
will not be left behind when things start to
normalize again, he believes. Others may use
this break as a time to reevaluate whether their
sport is still important to them. If they aren’t
missing their sport, this can be a great time to
discover new interests.

Whatever pastime they choose, however,
“becoming dormant is not an option,” he
says. “If you want to stay healthy, you have
to be active. Staying on lockdown and avoid-
ing sports and exercise denies you of building
immunity. You miss out on mental health ben-
efits, endorphins and interaction with other
kids. Zoom and FaceTime are OK substitutes,
but not a long-term solution.”
And while exercise can be done anywhere,
he points out that team dynamics bring addi-
tional benefits.

“Being part of a team, that collective effort,
the relationships, resolving conflict…kids get
life lessons through sports,” Jacobs says.

And young athletes miss the role-model
presence of coaches when their sport is side-
lined. “Coaches are important mentors for
kids, supporting them, pushing them to chal-
lenge themselves, giving positive reinforce-
ment, giving opportunities for leadership and
confidence,” he says.

As colder weather drives sports indoors,
COVID-19 precautions will pose more of a
challenge. Jacobs says that with basketball,
for example, they will operate fewer courts
TI-JA/E+/GETTY IMAGES
BY COURTNEY MCGEE