As you know there is a large movement to allow our children to play sports this fall despite the Covid-19 pandemic in our country.  We feel that the mental health benefits of playing sports far outweighs the small chance our child could contract Covid-19 in an outdoors environment. In this letter, we will outline a few key data points regarding children’s  mental health in our country, as well as data from sports organizations.  We do appreciate you taking the time to read this letter and consider our plea.  Please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

There is no denying the mental health toll that Covid-19 is taking on our population.  Listed below are some quick statistics highlighting the devastating results of being quarantined and having little social interaction for the past five months.

During late June 2020 40% of Americans reported struggling with mental health or substance abuse.  Depression is four times higher than in the 2nd quarter of 2019 and there are twice as many suicides than in the previous twelve months. The CDC highlights that younger people are being affected at a disproportionate rate when compared to other age groups.

The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that one in four parents have reported worsening mental health issues in their children since covid restrictions.

Many studies highlight the importance of youth sports; the Cleveland Children’s Clinic completed a study in 2019 of 9,668 children. In the study, researchers found that team sports “ conferred protection in kids that had adverse life-effects”. Those children, when they were older, didn’t get as depressed as often as kids that were not engaged in youth activities or sports.” The study found that team sports help kids learn important social skills and how to interact with their peers more effectively.  Kids learn how to lead and negotiate with other kids to reach a common goal.

Knowing  the mental health benefits of team activities, we know there will be significant impacts on the mental health of our youth.  In California, a 15 year old girl committed siucide on April 4.  Her mother said that her daughter struggled having to stay home and being away from sports and her peers.  In a recent study conducted by the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, it was discovered that 66,000 high school athletes in WI are suffering mental health effects due to the Covid-19 Closures. In other words, the spring shutdown of sports in WI contributed to symptoms of depression and anxiety in two-thirds of high school athletes.

The San Diego “YOUTH OUTDOOR SOCCER COVID TRANSMISSION STUDY” Dates June 12 to Aug 12 Concluded that “kids playing soccer outdoors in a safe environment do not contract or transmit COVID at a material rate.”

When you add this data to the following recently released reports from the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) and the CDC – our argument becomes even stronger.

Since May, 2020:

Physical activity levels dropped by an alarming 50% compared to pre-COVID levels. If extrapolated to the rest of the country, this could be the least physically active that children have ever been.
Following the widespread cancelation of school and spring sports, 33% (up from 10%) reported moderate to severe depression and 35% reported moderate to severe anxiety.
Females have been particularly affected, with 40% and 45% reporting moderate to severe symptoms of depression and anxiety, respectively.
National CDC data confirms the risk of hospitalization for children aged <18 years is extremely low. The CDC’s July 25th report on Morbidity and Mortality cites a total of 576 hospitalizations for kids under 18 since March 1, 2020.

Sports and extracurricular activities are what keeps children in school, working hard and earn good grades.  It is what gets them into college.  For many children, their coaches and teammates are the only positive relationships they have.  Sports, band, dance, etc are their safe place.  We have robbed them of that for the past 5 months.  Can they survive us robbing them for another 6+ months?

NM has thousands of students who participate in some type of extracurricular sports each fall.  If they are not able to participate what are we as communities and schools going to provide for our children?  We know they will find some type of outlet, and we need to ensure it is a safe outlet.  The activities offered by our schools and other organizations are a safe place for our children.  They are monitored, mask rules are enforced, sanitation is constant, social distancing is enforced.  They are encouraged, supported, educated.  Without these activities will any of this monitoring or growth happen ? 

Governor Lujan Grisham you can stop this! You can play a role in ensuring the mental health of our children in New Mexico. Please LET OUR KIDS PLAY OUTDOORS! 

This is our plea to you.  Let them play outdoors sports, which have proven to be safe.   Let them develop skills that will help them cope with the events that life throws at them.  Let them form positive relationships with peers and coaches.  Show our kids that they matter.  LET OUR KIDS PLAY.

Sincerely and Respectfully, 

 

Dr. Caroline Colonna, DOM Taos, NM