Youth Football Players Rally For Opportunity To Use Elk Grove Schools' Facilities Again

ELK GROVE (CBS13) - A youth football program is holding a rally in Elk Grove with a message for the school district: let our athletes use your sports facilities.

They're part of the Sacramento Youth Football Program and say Elk Grove Unified School District is the only school district not letting non-student teams use its facilities. As a result, Elk Grove teams have had to practice in local parks and travel away for every game.

"The financial burden of traveling every weekend outside of Sacramento...traveling to Benicia, Vacaville, Fairfield, American Canyon...every weekend going out that direction," said a Monterey Trail Jr. Mustangs team spokesperson. "We do have families that are on a budget."

A school district spokesperson says the restrictions are because of current COVID-19 protocols. Only students and faculty are allowed to use school facilities.