We, the Southwest Baseball League, humbly request the City of El Paso to reconsider their position on the parks and sporting facilities and reopen for the summer in June of 2020.

These parks and facilities are extremely important to the growth and well-being of our local athletes. Our kids deserve the opportunity to play, compete and progress in their athletic endeavors. So many of the kids in our community rely on sports as outlets for their growth and rely on coaching for their improvement. Many parents  see athletics as a way for their children to stay active and healthy, as well as a future avenue to college.

Many cities outside of  El Paso have reopened their parks and sports facilities (including Houston, Austin, Dallas, and Midland) and have already returned to practicing with potential competitions scheduled for July. With the lack of access to facilities in El Paso, the various sports (baseball, softball and soccer, among others) are on hold.  These other cities are at a distinct advantage in preparation for state level tournaments.  In addition, El Paso loses out on the potential to host tournaments and the added revenue from out of town participants.

The State of Texas and the CDC have provided instruction on how to return to practice and competition safely and effectively.  Southwest Baseball, as well as numerous other youth sports organizations, will be using these guidelines to help our athletes get back on the diamond and fields safely.  Studies are increasingly showing that exposure to Covid diminishes drastically outdoors. This coupled with our league's robust disinfection and prevention plans, will ensure that our kids will be as safe as possible while still being able to participate in team sports.

We, Southwest Baseball and the City of El Paso, need to collectively find a way to reach and enable our athletes by giving them the opportunity to practice and compete again. Study after study shows that sports and outdoor activities are vital to a child's personality development, discipline growth and social skills improvement. Every day these kids stay home and off the fields is a day they don't get back. Every single one of us - parents, coaches and mentors -  wants the best for our kids. And what is best is to let them play. We can have it both ways.  We can let them play and we can keep them safe.

The young people of our community deserve this step towards normalcy. They have had so many things taken away from them in the past months. This is an opportunity to get our kids back on the fields, playing the sports they love, improving their overall health and preparing themselves for their athletic futures.The City has many duties, but one key responsibility is ensuring a quality of life for our citizens. Together, the City of El Paso and Southwest Baseball can help the community to reopen their parks and sports facilities safely and effectively. 

Let our kids PLAY BALL!