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Sacramento Health Officer Says High School Football, Soccer & Basketball May Be Sidelined This Year

SACRAMENTO(CBS13) — Football, soccer, and basketball will likely be sidelined this upcoming school year, Sacramento County's Health Services director said Tuesday.

"Where we are right now high school football or high school soccer will probably not be able to take place at least at this point in time," Dr. Peter Beilenson said.

He says the biggest concern is the asymptomatic transmission of the virus.

"That's the real worry, that you have kind of a super spreader if you will among the football players or soccer player and they spread it to 25 or 30 of their teammates and the teammates are all relatively asymptomatic and they go home and spread it to their grandparents," Dr. Beilenson said.

For high school senior Nick Woolstencroft, the idea of not playing football is heartbreaking.

"It's a huge setback in like what I wanted to do," Woolstencroft said. "Just thinking about not having senior season is like it just makes me sick to my stomach."

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His mom Carrie Woolstencroft is one of the dozens of parents rallying together.

"Try to figure out how we can open safely," Carrie said. "They sweat together, they work out together, they cry together, they laugh together, they have fun together, they win together."

CBS13 is learning not all sports are being put off. Right now, according to Sacramento County, swimming, tennis, track and field, and cross country would be allowed with guidance in place.

For many parents, they just want all sports back even with the necessary guidance in place.

"It's not about winning or losing a particular game, it's about building these children into adults that have all of these character traits that sports teach them," Carrie said.

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