Orange County officials, coaches urge Gov. Newsom to allow youth sports to resume

TUSTIN, Calif. (KABC) -- California is one of the few states with COVID-19 restrictions still in place for youth sports.

It's forced Mission Viejo resident Maihri Thomson McTague, to drive her son, Sean, out of state to compete in soccer tournaments. She drove to Tuscon and then Phoenix this past weekend where her car broke down in the heat.

"It's very depressing for him. I see him declining. I see his emotional decline in these kids because they're not getting out and being with their teammates and doing the sport they love to do and are very good at," she said.

Orange County officials, youth sports coaches, and Olympic gold medalist Jessica Hardy Meichtry, held a press conference Monday calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to resume youth sports games in the state because they believe it can be done safely.

"Sports for me personally were the only way I stayed out of trouble growing up. It allowed me to give me full outlet of energy and excitement and pent up frustration, you know things you go through normal childhood experiences," said Hardy Meichtry.

"Our children learn enormous amounts about themselves, about the world, about competition. They learn to win, more importantly they often learn to lose. They learn to push themselves. They learn to work as a team and none of that learning is getting done today," said Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner.

One argument made by Wagner is that the youth is more resistant to COVID-19 than adults, but there's conflicting evidence on that claim and state officials have said young athletes risk bringing the virus home to their parents.