We have over 300,000 high school athletes in the state of Illinois.  We love to compete and hear the cheers from the crowds.  But right now, the bleachers are silent, the gyms are empty, the gates are closed. We athletes have suddenly lost the only way of life that we have ever known. And for many of us, this is our last opportunity to play with our teammates, to compete for our school, or to earn a scholarship. We understand that this is a serious situation. But we can’t stop living. There are still things we can do. There are 800 high schools across the state of Illinois whose athletes are ready and want to play. We need to work together to find a way to make it happen. 

Many of our varsity athletes won’t get another chance. So, we have a message for Governor Pritzker and Lieutenant Governor Stratton, and the Illinois High School Association, the Illinois Department of Public Health, and the Superintendents of the school districts, and the principals and athletic directors of our high schools, and for you. We athletes and our coaches have worked hard on and off the field, and we miss the feeling of pride we have when we compete with other athletes.  We know that our health and safety must be a top priority, but we believe a plan can be put together with the right guidelines in place that would allow us to play and fulfill our dreams. Please work to find a way to let us compete. So much has already been lost. We don’t get a second chance at this,  but if you start taking action now, we can make sure that no student athlete misses out on another season. Athletes and our families matter. Please remember us. Fight for us. Find a solution. Do everything you can to make sure that we are allowed to play the game we love.