Commentary: Today, Senator Cliff Pirtle (District 32-Chaves, Eddy, and Otero) sent a letter to the Secretary of Health, Dr. Tracie Collins, urging the Department of Health to remove the current prohibition on youth sports games. Based on the current “COVID-Safe Practices for Summer Youth Sports and Programs,” youth sports are restricted to “conditioning and skills development,” and “competitive play and scrimmaging are not permitted.”
“The prohibition on youth games has now been in effect since the spring of 2020, and without a modification, young children and families will lose another season,” said Senator Pirtle. “As a father, I know that my children need sports for both their physical and mental health. Other states have found a way to safely return youth to competitive play and it is time that New Mexico does the same.”
The United States Specialty Sports Association and Little League International have released comprehensive COVID-19 return-to-play guidelines, procedures, and recommendations outlining science-based best practices for safely returning youth to competitive play.