Maryland high school sports community makes online push to play in the fall

Student-athletes, parents and other supporters are making an online push to reinstate fall high school sports in Maryland.

Over 1,800 have signed the Change.org petition titled, 'Reinstate High School Sports in Maryland this Fall!!'

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"By sidelining the season, student-athletes will ultimately suffer." the petition reads. "For some, athletics is an incentive to perform well academically. For others, it is a gateway to furthering their education at the collegiate level. For the majority, however, they play for the love of the game."

The Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association, Maryland State Superintendent of Schools, Maryland Department of Health and Public School Superintendent Association of Maryland postponed the 2020 high school fall and winter season for the first semester of the school year in August.

"This decision comes in light of the recent announcements of local school systems to begin education virtually and provides each school system with options for the gradual increase of student engagement for the physical and social-emotional health of students," the MPSSAA said in a statement.

The goal for the Change.org petition is 2,500 signatures.