HARRISBURG – Senator Scott Martin (R-13) issued the following statement today in response to Governor Wolf’s recommendation that school sporting events should not take place until after January 1:
“Sadly, Governor Wolf has once again made a pronouncement at the 11th hour and refused to share the underlying data with the public. This is, of course, after he entrusted the PIAA and local districts to develop responsible plans that protect the health of our young athletes – something each has been working tirelessly to do.
“The fact is that school sports play an extremely positive role in the mental health of our children, their health, their development and we should not give up on them so easily. For many of our students, sports is also an important structure in their lives that they need, given personal circumstances, and for some, keeps them safely off the streets at night. For so many, athletics serves as a critical bridge of opportunity to advance their learning at the collegiate level.
“Since Pennsylvania went to the Governor’s green phase, athletic events and youth leagues have been competing safely, even with safe protocols for spectators, without problems. If a responsible plan has been developed for a particular sport and there’s no supporting data showing why fall sports should be cancelled, these young athletes should be given the chance to compete and pursue their health and dreams. However, cancelling all sports unilaterally is unfair to these young student athletes and coaches, to the people who have worked hard to put these plans together, and to our communities.
“Lancaster County’s response to this pandemic – and the actions that have been taken to keep our citizens healthy – are working and are a model to the rest of Pennsylvania. Since youth sports have already been occurring safely in our community, and we have shown the ability to plan and take action in a responsible manner, the Governor should respect what we have done, and what we can do moving forward.”
CONTACT: Terry Trego (717) 787-6535