FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM FEBRUARY 11, 2021 • THE QUEENS COURIER 21
Local public school student-athletes demand a return to sports
BY GABRIELE HOLTERMANN
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
James Johnson, a community activist
and City Council candidate for District
27, rallied with student-athletes, parents
and coaches in St. Albans at the corner
of Roy Wilkins Park on Saturday, Feb. 6,
demanding that New York City reopen
the doors to sports facilities for approximately
45,000 public student-athletes.
Across the fi ve boroughs, students rallied
to return to the athletic fi elds and
courts advocating for equal opportunity
and fairness, as certain private schools,
Catholic schools and public schools in
Long Island have been practicing in facilities
for a long time, according to Johnson,
a former student-athlete.
“Don’t punish these public school kids.
Stop playing politics! We can do this safely
with the same guidelines that Long Island
is doing, the same guidelines the private
schools and Catholic schools are doing.
We can do it here,” Johnson said.
Aft er a 10-month suspension due to
the coronavirus pandemic while following
COVID-19 protocols and suspension,
students, parents and coaches want
school sports to return to New York City,
Johnson said. Parents are forced to take
their children to New Jersey or Long
Island for practice and some even go as
far as taking their kids to states like Ohio
for scouting opportunities, giving them a
shot at an athletic scholarship.
As a COVID-19 survivor, Johnson said
he understands the danger the pandemic
poses but stressed that many athletes are
becoming depressed seeing their peers in
other parts of the state return to tracks,
courts and fi elds.
In January, the state issued new guidelines
clearing the way for all higherrisk
high school and recreational sports
leagues, which went into eff ect on Feb.
1. Local health authorities have to give
their permission considering three factors:
local COVID-19 rates, the local ability
to monitor compliance with rules, and
the presence of the U.K. strain of the coronavirus
in the area.
So far, the NYC Health Department
seems to be the wild card among other
county health departments such as Long
Island, where student-athletes have
already returned to their gymnasiums.
High school senior and football player
Troy Williams spoke for all student-athletes
across the fi ve boroughs who don’t
get to fi nish their season.
“I love this sport. It hurts not being able
to fi nish my senior season,” Williams
said. “We just want to fi nish our season
cause we might not get our scholarship
opportunities. We are always
told to fi nish what we start, no
matter what. So how come the
state of New York wants to
quit on us?”
Campus Magnet Head
Coach Eric Barnett reminded
everyone of the opportunities
sports can provide
to students referring
to Magnet alumni
Blessuan Austin,
cornerback for the
Jets, and Kyle O’Quinn,
former center for the
Knicks.
“Who is the next
Blessuan Austin, who is the next
Kyle O’Quinn that’s going to miss
out on an opportunity?” Barnett
asked in light of the lack of scouting
options.
Legendary Benjamin Cardozo High
School basketball coach Ron Naclerio
expressed that New York City’s studentathletes
have been short-changed
under the current
restrictions and
read a powerful,
lengthy statement he had shared on
social media.
“Very soon, it will be 12 months that
high school sports in the Big Apple were
forced to take a hiatus. Each athlete has
a spark, and most coaches help fan that
fl ame. Too many now have lost that spark,
and they need a match to reignite their
wiltering fl ame,” Naclerio said.
Springfi eld Gardens High School student
Briana Augustin took the opportunity
to point out the prevailing misogyny
in sports, especially for Black female
athletes. Th e tennis player and straight-
A student spoke of the lack of funding
and support for Black female student
athletes.
“When I fi rst started playing tennis,
it was hand-me-down rackets,
hand-me-down balls. We lack supplies,
especially in a community where
female athletes are overlooked so many
times,” said Augustin, who pointed out
that leaving New York City to get scouted
for a scholarship is not an option for her.
“It doesn’t benefi t my community. I give
them my talent; I give them my name; I
give them my face. And my people aren’t
getting anything in return.”
Photo by Gabriele Holtermann
Legendary Benjamin Cardozo High School basketball coach Ron
Naclerio speaks during the rally.
Photo by Gabriele Holtermann
NYC student-athletes attend a rally to bring back public
school sports.
Photo by Gabriele Holtermann
NYC student-athletes attend a rally to bring back public school
sports.
Photo by Gabriele Holtermann
Springfi eld Gardens High School student Briana Augustin speaks
at the rally.
Photo by Gabriele Holtermann
District 27 City Council candidate James Johnson speaks at a rally in St. Albans to bring back school sports.
link
/WWW.QNS.COM
link
