Please, CIAC - We want to play!!

          We write to you today as the Captains of the Spring Sports teams from Fairfield Ludlowe High School in Fairfield, CT. Without having the time or opportunity to call upon all of the Captains up and down the CIAC who represent the collective spring sports community, we take a hopeful position that we speak for ALL OF THEM. Together, we are the combined Class of 2020 and beyond, and we are asking you to hear our voice as you sit down to determine our future. 

          It has been brought to our attention that CIAC officials and league heads will be meeting within the next few days to make what will likely be a decision on the 2019-2020 Spring Sports season. We would like to outline the sentiments of not only the affected athletes, but also of many teachers, coaches, parents, sports fans, and community members so that we have a voice at your meeting. We understand that we are not the decisive voice, but we hope that our commitment to our sports and our schools and community holds some value in the decision making. 

          As a representative voice for ALL high school athletes across CT, we would like to start by saying that we understand the severity of this situation. We also understand that it is ultimately the CIAC’s decision to determine the fate of the season. At this time, we would implore the CIAC to strongly consider and to support postponement until it is deemed safe to play, rather than rush to cancel the remainder of the seasons. Please, hold off on a full cancel for now.

          As seniors, we are obviously devastated that a cancellation may force us to give up our final season of high school sports. We know we aren’t alone. All of the athletes that stand beside us have worked tirelessly to have the opportunity to play out their seasons as representatives of their schools. Our teammates, coaches, administrators, athletic directors, managers and parents have spent countless hours supporting our season before it has even begun. We are proud, we are committed and we are collectively who we are as student athletes because of what sports has brought to our lives. The dedication to something outside of ourselves is what has led to our success inside and outside our classroom. It is also a large part of why we have the confidence and passion to approach you and our community to speak frankly and honestly. If the spring seasons are canceled due to the time off caused by this virus, graduating athletes in the class of 2020 will have put on their school uniform for the last time -- without even knowing it. We want to prevent this from being our final high school truth.

          Obviously, this is very important to us, but as seniors, we are also concerned about the preservation of the season for all underclassmen at Ludlowe and throughout the State of Connecticut. We would like to point out things that we guess you already know. Things that may ring true because of your own experience as athletes and because of the very organization that you have committed to. We believe you understand everything we are saying and everything we are feeling. We just want you to know that we need you to help us get there. We need you to remember the lifelong skills these sports give us and possibly gave you. We have learned leadership, teamwork, commitment, discipline, sportsmanship, patience, confidence and fortitude. We have formed friendships and we have found acceptance. We have the gift of waking up to something bigger than ourselves, something to look forward to, something to celebrate.

          All we ask is for the CIAC to take into consideration the fact that the outlook on the spread of COVID-19 may change as we learn more and are practicing social distancing. This means that making the decision to terminate the seasons before this preventative measure is fully evaluated could potentially be a bad decision that will directly affect thousands high school athletes across the state. We ask that the season is postponed, rather than canceled, until there is a better grasp upon the situation and its potential severity within the coming weeks. We also ask that you consider all avenues of creative solutions once we get back to school, including shortened playoffs, double headers, shortening ready-to-play periods, alternative tournament formats and even post season play over the summer. The point is that with the support of the community that has signed here we can find ways to make this work, together.

          We would like to thank you for taking the time to read this. By signing this petition, you are helping to communicate the thoughts and feelings of many high school athletes across the state to the CIAC and other proper authorities who are handling this situation. As a representative of these athletes and other affected groups, we would like to thank you for time and consideration.

   Sincerely,

Fairfield Ludlowe High School Spring Sport Captains

#letusplay #bethechange