A-State Football: “We want to play the 2020 season”
A-State Athletics
Jerry Scott, Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations
JONESBORO – The Arkansas State football team’s Leadership Council, consisting of multiple players on the team, has issued the following statement presented as a unified message from the players comprising the Red Wolves’ roster:
Representing our fellow teammates at Arkansas State University, our football team’s Leadership Council can say with overwhelming conviction that not only do we want to play the 2020 season, but that we are also confident the appropriate steps are being taken to ensure we do so in a safe manner with everyone’s health and well-being the top priority.
We understand very important national conversations taking place at this time will determine the future of our season. We are respectfully issuing this unified message advocating to play the season so that our opinions and feelings on the matter may be heard by those making the decisions on how best to proceed.
We want it to be understood that our Arkansas State coaching staff, administration, doctors and trainers have been entirely transparent through this process, explaining the risks involved and the appropriate steps and measures being taken to reduce those risks. We 100 percent believe that these precautions have been effective and would allow for us to play with health and safety being at the forefront of everything we do.
We feel that our campus, and specifically our athletics facilities, are the safest place we can be during this time as we have access to additional safety protocols and health officials. Even if we suspend the season, there is no guarantee that we won’t contract the coronavirus and face risks, just like many others have who don’t play sports.
However, being in a structured environment with a daily health-and-prevention routine provides us peace of mind that our campus is doing everything possible to consider our safety first while still playing.
It is a privilege and honor to be a football player and student-athlete at Arkansas State, and to represent the state of Arkansas! We thank the coaching staff and administration for their constant consideration for care and prevention.
Go Red Wolves!