2021-02-16 CC Agenda - Public Communications related to Item #D6 - Youth Sports2021-02-16 CC AGENDA PACKET
PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS RELATED TO ITEM #D6 - YOUTH SPORTS
Harada, Patricia
From: Weaver, Tracy (City Clerk)
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2021 12:10 PM
To: *ALL CITY CLERKS
Subject: FW: Youth Sports
All of Council received the email below per the Mayor.
Tracy
Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S10+, an AT&T 5G Evolution capable smartphone
-------- Original message --------
From: "Boyles,Drew (Mayor)" <dboyles@elsegundo.org>
Date: 2/15/21 11:32 AM (GMT-08:00)
To: sondra abrams <mrskidabra ms@yahoo.com>
Cc: public communications<publiccommunications@elsegundo.org>, "Weaver, Tracy (City Clerk)"
<tweaver@elsegundo.o rg>
Subject: Re: Youth Sports
Hi Sondra. I concur. Thank you for your note.
See you all soon.
Drew
Drew Boyles
Mayor I City of El Segundo
On Feb 15, 2021, at 11:30, sondra abrams <mrskidabrams@yahoo.com> wrote:
Dear El Segundo City Council Members,
We're writing today to ask for you to do everything in your power to help our kids and advocate
for the return of youth sports in our community. You fought tirelessly for our restaurant
owners, some of you have advocated for the return of Junior Guards.... please be a voice for all
of our children and do everything in your power to fight for all of our kids.
Now more than ever, our kids need to be able to play sports. In his closing remarks at the
February 2, 2021 council meeting, Mr. Giroux gave plenty of valid reasons for why we need
sports to return to our community. But the fact that 48 states are allowing kids to play sports
and have the data to show it can be done with minimal -to -no spread, makes it even more mind
boggling that our fields are still closed. You've heard from others the statistics of what this
pandemic is doing to our kids — increased anxiety, depression, suicide, etc .... and it's time to give
our kids what they really need.
We are one month away from the anniversary of our shut down. Our son, Reed, was set to play
in his first Babe Ruth baseball game on March 16,, 2020 but that game was cancelled. We held
out hope for months that this was just temporary and that he and his Stars team would be back
on the field. That never happened. His team never got the chance to play and that weekend
was the last time he or his teammates have been allowed on the fields in our town. We'd
heard that kids who stopped playing sports were going to be more likely to suffer injuries once
they returned to the game. In an effort to prevent injuries, Reed and his dad tried to use the
field at Rec Park, just as father and son, to practice throwing and swinging the bat. More than
once they were asked by park personnel to leave.... father and son couldn't even use the fields
together. So, in September 2020 Reed joined a travel baseball team. He started practicing
twice a week and has taken part in many scrimmages and games. And there have been NO
outbreaks on his team or in the organization. He has been safely practicing and playing baseball
for six months. The new Babe Ruth season is supposed to be starting soon.it would be heart
breaking to see a second season come -and -go and for hundreds of boys in our community not
to have the opportunity to play. For many boys, the teen years are their final years on the
baseball field and because of the pandemic, some will never play again.
Our oldest daughter, Addy, plays club volleyball and has been practicing and playing in
tournaments INDOORS for months.... again with NO outbreaks on her team or in her
organization.
Our daughter, Riley, loves to play in -line roller hockey and her happy place is to be on her roller
blades at the rink at Rec Park. That rink has been shuttered and locked for almost a year. There
are no other options for in -line roller hockey so she's been forced to quit doing what she loves.
She's still holding out hope that she will one day be able to play again. The El Segundo Inline
Hockey Association provides an amazing service for our kids. Our children get to play a sport
they love, in their neighborhood park and the experience is not only rewarding, but it is very
reasonably priced.
We walk through Rec Park several times a week. Seeing the roller rink and the basketball court
locked, the baseball field off limits and lights turned off are just constant reminders that we
need our lives to start to return to normal. Many families are not able to afford the constant
out-of-state travel just for sports and should be allowed to play at their local fields. Please be a
voice for all of our children and do everything in your power to fight for our kids and help to
bring back youth sports to our community.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Sondra and Tim Abrams
2
Harada, Patricia
From: Weaver, Tracy (City Clerk)
Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2021 12:26 PM
To: *ALL CITY CLERKS
Subject: FW: Youth Sports
Council received, too many words to read tonight. Please post. I have sent them an email explaining the
requirements.
TracuU weaver
CLtu CLerrz
CEtU of 6L segLww o
From: Jeff Puffer <jeff@go2delphi.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2021 12:00 PM
To: Boyles,Drew (Mayor) <dboyles@elsegundo.org>
Cc: Pimentel, Chris (Mayor Pro Tem) <cpimentel@elsegundo.org>; Pirsztuk, Carol (Council Member)
<cpirsztuk@elsegundo.org>; Nicol, Scot (Council Member) <snicol@elsegundo.org>; Giroux, Lance (Council Member)
<Igiroux@elsegundo.org>; Weaver, Tracy (City Clerk) <tweaver@elsegundo.org>; Jill Puffer <jillpuffer05@hotmail.com>
Subject: Youth Sports
Dear Councilpersons,
Thank you for adding the youth sports topic to the agenda this evening for the scheduled City Council
meeting.
As we all know, we live in one of the most stringent counties in the nation, in terms of COVID-19 closures and
protocols. It has regrettably taken a toll on many families and, more importantly, our children.
A result of the current LA County Health Order has been a shutdown of our youth sports programs. This action
has deprived our youth of many important physical and psychological benefits and growth at such a critical
age. One exception to this are families who can afford to travel out of the county, or state, with club sport
teams. Unfortunately, many El Segundo children do not have this option.
While I understand it's in the best interest of the City of El Segundo to operate under current county protocols,
I'd like to note that the same protocols currently allow for our youth programs to operate on city fields in a
safe manner, even allowing for intrasquad scrimmages.
To a lot of local parents' dismay, there seems to be more restrictive actions and protocols taking place and
being enforced in our town limiting our children their right to play. This is also true compared to surrounding
beach city communities, which arguably have a higher density ratio than El Segundo.
I implore the council to revisit the current LA County youth sports protocols and guidelines with an open mind,
while also applying current science and statistical facts, and set clear guidance and standards for city officials
and residents to follow to allow youth sports to resume on city fields.
Youth sports provides immense benefits to our youth and we as a community need to do more to get our
future generations active, outside, and on the fields.
Thank you for your time and future efforts on this matter.
Jeff & Jill Puffer