Sangamon Sun

State Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) has grown weary of how he thinks Gov. J.B. Pritzker is continuing to put high school student athletes in a no-win situation.

“Look around you, and as has been the case without so many other issues, the governor has turned Illinois into an outlier state,” Caulkins told The Sangamon Sun. “What we’re doing in not allowing these kinds to play is completely different from what we’re seeing in many other states.”

The veteran lawmaker plans to make his voice heard during a Let Us Play rally scheduled for outside the State Capital in Springfield at 1 p.m. Saturday.

A similar rally of students, parents and supporters is slated for the James A. Thompson Center in Chicago also on Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. 

“The governor claims he’s following the science in taking his position, but I’d like to see him bring those experts forward and put them out there so we can have a public hearing,” Caulkins said. “I want to see him quit hiding these elusive figures, but I know that won’t happen because this is all about a campaign issue on the national level where democrats are intent on using the bad economy and blaming President Trump for not properly responding to COVID-19."

Let Us Play organizers are swift to point out every state bordering Illinois is playing football this fall. Based on the restrictions the governor outlined back in late July, only golf, girls tennis, cross-country and girls swimming and diving are currently under way in Illinois. Football and boys' soccer is not scheduled to start until February.

More recently, the Illinois High School Association sent a letter to the governor asking that the IHSA be allowed “to resume control over determining the resumption of IHSA sports and activities.”

Currently, the two sides are allowing teams across the state to practice this month under specific COVID-19 guidelines. The Chicago Public Schools system isn’t a part of that agreement, making the prospect of CPS allowing fall sports even more improbable even if Pritzker has a change of heart.

Caulkins hopes the demonstrations will have an impact.

“Hopefully, we’ll attract a broad spectrum of people and large number of families will put pressure on the political system and get the governor to change his position,” he said. “I’m constantly hearing from coaches and families, and they all recognize the harm being done to these young people. A lot of athletic scholarships are at stake here and when our students can’t compete for them many are going to lose the only opportunity they have to go to college and make a better life for themselves.”