Student-athletes, parents, coaches, athletic directors and those that love sports want to have a voice when it comes to high school sports returning to the Buckeye State.

Currently, there is a lot of frustration around Ohio. Student-athletes want to have the choice to play or not to play. Parents also want their children to have the choice to play or not to play. If you don't know a student-athlete or parent of one, I urge you to talk to them. The overwhelming majority of student-athletes and parents want sports.

Student-athletes and parents know the risks of playing sports and the injuries that could possibly come with participating. They also know playing sports possibly exposes them to COVID-19, but they are willing to accept that risk to do what they love. Like them, I believe the benefits outweigh the risks.

Athletics can turn lives around and even save lives. I have friends that will tell you they wouldn’t be where they are now without a coach that mentored them or the life lessons the game taught them.

We need to protect the most vulnerable during these troubling times but we can also allow our young student-athletes to experience a life-altering sport.

Please give our student-athletes the chance to have their voices heard and to compete.

Lynn Groll

Publisher of Black Swamp Edition Football of Touchdown Publications