When concern over Covid-19 hit in mid-March, Gov. Burgum closed schools and many non-essential businesses.  As of May 1, many of the restrictions were lifted as part of the ND SMART RESTART initiative.  Restaurants, bars and fitness centers were allowed to reopen, provided they follow the SMART RESTART protocols.  K-12 schools remained closed, which seemed reasonable, since there would have only been a few weeks left in the school year.

While an executive order was recently made to allow schools to hold graduation ceremonies, the word many of us have received is that despite a brief reopen, schools will remain closed throughout the summer.  This closure extends to school gyms and fitness facilities as well.  Therefore, students may pay to work out at a fitness center, but may not use the facilities at their school (often at no cost to them).  Many students in our case would have trouble being able to afford this.

School athletic facilities could easily operate under the “Smart Restart” protocols for fitness centers.  Keeping schools closed in our case means that over 100 student athletes (in a town of 3500 with only two fitness facilities) need to seek another place to train.  Often times too, these students need some personalized instruction they may not be able to get away from the school facility.  Also, given that fitness centers have restrictions on them to operate well below capacity, it is very reasonable to deduce that many will be denied a place to train because there are already too many people for the facility to handle under the current guidelines.

We have facilities available, we have coaches willing to work with student-athletes and we certainly have an ability to adhere to the protocols and standards defined by the state.  Please let us use the resources we have to help our young people and allow us to reopen as of June 1, 2020.