Advocates for young athletes say LET KIDS PLAY

.....Tracie McKinley-Lux, who spoke at the Gabriel Park gathering, is a licensed clinical social worker. She just completed a doctorate program, and for her research study focused on the negative impact of social isolation on individuals.

In her McMinnville practice, McKinley-Lux said she usually works with older adults, but has seen a significant jump in people ages 15 to 30 needing help.

"It`s definitely concerning what lockdown is doing to our youth," McKinley-Lux said, explaining that teenagers` emotional and mental health can be significantly impacted when their routines are disrupted or they lose social networks.

"I don`t know that the policymakers quite understand the depth of the impact of isolation" on young people, McKinley-Lux said.

She is not advocating for resuming sports without precautions. The way sports and activities happen might need to change. "By no means do I think we should disregard health and safety protocols," she said.

Dyer said his goal is to spark open dialogue with state leaders to explore ways to get young athletes back into action. As a county commissioner in Southern Oregon, Dyer understands the strain of governing in these times.......

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Notes: A very good read. What are your thoughts on social isolation for children? Will this pandemic have a long term affect on our children? Can our children take another few months of online learning or do we have to find a way for them to connect with others their age? I have more questions than answers on the long term impact of this pandemic.