ST. LOUIS (KMOX) – A high school athlete has collected more than 10,000 signatures from those who agree with him that the new youth sports mandate in St. Louis County should be overturned to allow fall sports to play games.

Chaminade senior Jimmy Grumich, who is a member of the football team, started a petition on Change.org this week that has nearly reached its goal of 15,000 signatures.

“Every week that goes by without competing is another week gone that high school student-athletes will never get back,” the petition states.

On Tuesday St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page announced new mandates for youth sports that included a temporary ban on games, competitions and tournaments for many high school sports such as football, basketball, soccer, ice hockey, lacrosse, wrestling, baseball, softball and volleyball. 

Related: St. Louis County says no high school football games under new COVID guidelines

The St. Louis County Department of Health is ignoring the advice of the St. Louis Sports Medicine Covid-19 Task Force who have outlined a plan to play fall sports,” the petition states. “Every school in St. Louis County, including K-12 and both public and private, reported ONLY 39 students testing positive for COVID-19 in the month of August.”

A number of school districts in St. Louis County have decided to play fall sports like football in the spring and Illinois is one of 18 states that has moved its football season to spring.

Could St. Louis County Executive Sam Page be sued over his youth sports restrictions?@kmoxmaria caught up with local attorney Al Watkins, who’s considering doing just that.

LISTEN: https://t.co/fKQ9oRnqPL#KMOXRewind

— KMOX St. Louis News (@kmoxnews) September 10, 2020

Another challenge to the new youth sports guidelines in St. Louis County comes from local attorney Al Watkins, who sent a letter to Page accusing him of depriving student athletes of color a chance at going to college on scholarship.

Watkins says Page might be well-intended, but imposing these restrictions are adversely affecting all student athletes.

Watkins admits he is representing the son of Page’s Republican challenger for county executive in November, Paul Berry. 

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