Sports community rallies for a fall season in Oceanside

More than 100 student-athletes and their families rallied in front of Oceanside High School on Aug. 31 to send a clear message to Nassau County superintendents: “let us play.”

Disappointment fell over the school sports community after Nassau superintendents voted unanimously on Aug. 26 to postpone the fall season until January 2021. In response, a committee of Oceanside sports parents, including Lori McKee, Jessica Brusca and Jennifer Lazzaro, organized the rally outside the high school. The rally drew out families from Oceanside, Rockville Centre, East Rockaway, Long Beach, Lynbrook and other Nassau communities.

From around 6 to 6:30 p.m., the crowd held bright signs, chanted “let them play” and cheered on speakers — parents, students and elected officials — who addressed the importance of sports for students.

Oceanside seniors Bella Lazzaro, a soccer player, and Mia Judd, a lacrosse player, agreed that school sports serve as an outlet for students throughout the year. “We’ve waited long enough to play,” Lazzaro, captain of the varsity soccer team, said. “If it’s about liability, I guarantee you we’d all be willing to sign a waiver to be able to play.”

“Staying inside for so many months isn’t healthy,” Judd added.

Michael Furst, a sophomore on the varsity football team, agreed. “Sports help me out mentally,” he said. “It annoyed me because Suffolk is doing it, so why can’t we?”

The postponement was made two days after Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued guidance permitting lower-risk high school fall sports — soccer, tennis, swimming, field hockey and cross-country — to begin practicing and playing on Sept. 21, while noting football and volleyball could begin practicing but not playing. It made Nassau the first of the state’s 11 sections to move its fall season.

“We’re very upset,” said Dawn Frango, mother of senior athlete Matthew Frangos. “It should be the same [decision] across the board.”

Hempstead Town Councilman Anthony D’Esposito spoke at the rally and affirmed that the town board supports the schools’ right to play this fall. “We flattened the curve,” he said, “and now it’s time to let these kids play. It benefits them at home, it benefits them in the classroom. It benefits them physically, mentally, in so many ways.”

Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino also voiced his support for sports, and said he attended a similar rally in Massapequa earlier in the day. “The governor said it’s OK,” he said, “so how can a small group of people say ‘no’ to us? Our parents know what they’re doing. Our teachers, our school administrators, our coaches, they realize the importance of this.”

McKee, mother of Charlie McKee, the quarterback of the varsity football team, noted that she is a pediatric critical care nurse of 30 years, and her “biggest concern is the mental well-being of these children.”

“Suicidal ideation, depression, drugs and alcohol has been huge over the last six months,” she said. “Without sports, these kids don’t have any goals, there’s a void in their life.”

As the rally ended, Brusca urged parents to email their superintendents and push them to reconsider the decision.