Playing with COVID with Frankie Graziano focuses on what students and stakeholders stand to lose as sports are paused during the pandemic.

For some students, it’s one, maybe even two years of tape to show college recruiters. And for others, while they may not have what it takes to play collegiately, there’s still something that drives them to compete, and COVID means they can’t. How does the pause in high school sports affect college dreams and scholarships? How has it affected students emotionally? What has it meant for friendships and relationships that are often at the heart of sports? What has been the effect across high school sports – and not just the traditional ones?

And that’s just the students. How about the adults that are invested, too? Parents who rely on athletics to shape their children’s development. Coaches whose life’s work is to nurture student-athletes. And how about officials, scorekeepers, and others around the game that could really use the $50 a game right now in this time of uncertainty?

The question of whether or not to play has consumed public health officials, coaches, parents, and players. It’s an ongoing discussion that we’ll address here, too, and we’ll hear from the stakeholders who matter. But we’ll also focus on the people behind the politics as we explore the question of what’s at stake when the games are called off. This hour, host Frankie Graziano speaks with a panel of parents and professionals including CIAC Executive Director Glenn Lungarini, Department of Public Health Commissioner Deidre Gifford, and C.J. Vick, of the James Vick Foundation.

CUTLINE: Playing with COVID with Frankie Graziano premiered on CPTV Thursday, January 21, 2021.