The FHSAA has had meetings to determine the future of fall sports in the state of Florida for 2020. Many of the conversations have been divided. This petition is to bring the voice of parents, guardians, coaches, student athletes, and school administration to the FHSAA. On Friday, August 14th the board will vote on the what the future will look like for fall sports. 

We are asking all of you to join us in making our voices known to FHSAA that we want a fall sports season and we want it to start on August 24th as planned! 

This is more than just about playing a sport. High School kids face bigger threats to their health than Covid-19. Substance abuse, mental-health problems, stress and anxiety, and gun violence just to name a few. Sports provides student athletes with a real opportunity to escape from these problems. Sports provide organization and structure to days and evenings and motivate students to do well. This is proven in the academic field also. A study by the University of Kansas showed that 97% of high-school athletes graduate, which is 10% more than those who don’t participate in sports. 

The high school athletes who have worked hard to prepare for a fall season need to play. They want to play as the #WeWantToPlay Campaign has highlighted. So let's provide a clear safety plan that follows CDC guidelines, let them play the sports they love, and provide them with the opportunities that are afforded from doing so. 

For the Class of 2021 athletes who have been working hard their entire high school careers, this season is their final chance to showcase their talent for college scholarships. Unlike college players they can't defer a year and still be eligible to play and they need this year to make the opportunity to receive a college education possible. Their futures are hanging in the balance.

The goal of this petition is to provide as many signatures as possible to the FHSAA by Thursday, August 13th at 9PM to show our support for our kids to start their fall sports season now. By signing this petition you are stating as a Parent/Guardian/Coach/Student Athlete/School Administrator that you support students starting fall sports as planned on August 24, 2020. We believe that by giving the decision to play to the individual families, schools, and counties they represent, together we can make the best of our current situations.