CUTLINE: Playing with COVID with Frankie Graziano
Playing with COVID with Frankie Graziano focuses on what students and stakeholders stand to lose as sports are paused during the pandemic.
For some students, it鈥檚 one, maybe even two years of tape to show college recruiters. And for others, while they may not have what it takes to play collegiately, there鈥檚 still something that drives them to compete, and COVID means they can鈥檛. How does the pause in high school sports affect college dreams and scholarships? How has it affected students emotionally? What has it meant for friendships and relationships that are often at the heart of sports? What has been the effect across high school sports 鈥� and not just the traditional ones?
And that鈥檚 just the students. How about the adults that are invested, too? Parents who rely on athletics to shape their children鈥檚 development. Coaches whose life鈥檚 work is to nurture student-athletes. And how about officials, scorekeepers, and others around the game that could really use the $50 a game right now in this time of uncertainty?
The question of whether or not to play has consumed public health officials, coaches, parents, and players. It鈥檚 an ongoing discussion that we鈥檒l address here, too, and we鈥檒l hear from the stakeholders who matter. But we鈥檒l also focus on the people behind the politics as we explore the question of what鈥檚 at stake when the games are called off. This hour, host Frankie Graziano speaks with a panel of parents and professionals including CIAC Executive Director Glenn Lungarini, Department of Public Health Commissioner Deidre Gifford, and C.J. Vick, of the James Vick Foundation.
CUTLINE: Playing with COVID with Frankie Graziano premiered on CPTV Thursday, January 21, 2021.