LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – The parents of Nebraska football players issued a letter to the Big Ten on Sunday. The parents posted the letter on Twitter and did not like the big ten’s decision to postpone the Fall Season 2020.
York head football coach Glen Snodgrass helped write the writing because his son, Garrett, is a linebacker for the Huskers.
“Transparency has been a big problem for me. If there is any data that is not really in a safe place at the moment, we will close it by all means. But they did not come out with it and maybe it was out there, but as far as I know I have not heard anything, “said Snodgrass.
A copy of the letter can be read below:
“An open letter to Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren,
We, as parents of Nebraska Cornhusker footballers, are writing this letter to express our displeasure at the recent decision to postpone the 2020 bankruptcy season. While we appreciate the Commission’s efforts in this matter, we have questions about the facts and details behind this decision. Finally, we encourage you to seek out a formal plan that includes input from players and coaches of each institution on decisions of this nature.
As you posted the season, you stated, “After hours of talking with our Big Ten Task Force on Emerging Illness and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee, it became very clear that there was too much uncertainty about potential medical risks to our student-athletes will participate this fall. ”One could argue that“ risks and uncertainties ”have surrounded this virus since March, so why is the drastic change from August 5 to August 11? If the decision was based on medical data and not too Why was there no transparency to share it? Our confusion in this decision is heightened when we hear reports from medical experts from other conferences. One such example is Dr. Cameron Wolfe, chairman of the ACC’s Medical Advisory Team. He told Sports Business Daily, he “thinks football can be played safely this season.” The players and parents of the Big Ten deserve to see the medical data that shows our sons are more at risk of playing than on ‘ e campus, or even return home without the medical protocols currently in place at UNL.
Our greatest concern as parents is the mental and physical well-being of our sons. We appreciate your full “care and concern for the mental and physical health and well-being of our athletes” that was shared in your press release of proposal. The decision to release the schedule only to postpone the season less than a week later, based on “risks and uncertainties,” has taken an emotional toll on our sons. The complications of this decision will have ramifications for the future of these athletes. Physically, we do not feel it is in their best interest to play two seasons within the 2021 season. Football is a unique and violent sport. Their bodies need time to heal and recover and we are concerned that these back-to-back seasons could cause more physical damage than COVID-19 could. We would judge that the strict protocol instituted by the University of Nebraska to seek risks, migrate, and treat our sons is exceptional, and goes above and beyond the Big Ten protocols. We can not praise Coach Frost and his staff enough. They have listened to the advice of UNMC experts and have taken the curve forward when it comes to putting the physical well-being of our athletes first, and we feel completely comfortable with our sons in their care.
Our final concern is that this decision was made without equal representation of student-athletes from all Big Ten schools. On August 11th you stated “Although I know that our decision today will in many ways be disappointing to our thousands of student-athletes and their families, I am guided and inspired by their fortitude, their insightful and sensible thoughts, and their participation by us. conversations up to this point. ”We are not aware of any conversation you have personally had with Nebraska athletes and / or parents. And yes, our athletes are resilient, but this has taken a mental and emotional toll on them.
We do not want to shed light on the seriousness of this terrible disease, but it does not go away. Our sons are ready to take the risk and do their part to reduce risks this fall. There are no guarantees these risks will be gone by the spring season. Athletes understand the risks involved in playing sports under normal sporting conditions. While COVID-19 may complicate these risks, we feel they are manageable with the medical protocol in place to have an autumn season.
On August 5, you announced that you would feel comfortable playing your own son in the Big Ten this season with the medical protocols put in place, which we parents unilaterally support. Six days later you made a complete over-face. We just ask for transparency in why that decision changed so quickly, what medical data was used to delay the decision, and for the Big Ten to initiate a formal process to get equal input from players and coaches of all schools regarding decisions of this nature.
As Husker’s football parents, we are united in our support and distinction from the UNL football staff and medical team in their quest to create a healthy and successful fall season, emotionally, physically and socially. In case we have not been clear enough, we want our boys to PLAY THIS FALL! Thank you very much for your time and consideration. GO BIG RED !!
Honestly,
Concerned parents of 81 Husker footballers
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