SOUTHWICK – “Let us play!’ and “We want fall sports!” chants rang out as Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District students paraded around the superintendent’s office at Powder Mill School on Sept. 8 after the School Committee voted to postpone fall sports to the second “fall” season.

Students who play each of the postponed sports, which include soccer, volleyball, field hockey, and golf, peacefully protested the decision by wearing all black and carrying signs asking the district to let them play and revote on the postponement.

Boys soccer coach Chris Whalley said the entire protest was organized by the students.

“It makes me proud to be their coach. With adversity comes opportunity and the kids are acting like adults to protest the right way. We teach them to never give up and to come back and try to get the desired outcome and that’s what they are doing here,” he said.

He added that postponing the sports to the second fall season between February and April was not a good solution.

“It’s completely unrealistic to play in the second fall season. There are reasons why the North American and German soccer leagues do not play then. There is going to be a much higher risk to tear muscles because of the conditions and other players will not play because of their commitment to club teams,” Whalley said.

If sports were to return, he said that it would be easier to make sure students are following the current guidelines to prevent COVID-19’s spread since they would be at practice.

Girls soccer coach Clark Moore said that learning leadership skills is part of sports and the students exemplified that with their demonstration.

“Leadership is a big part of what they learn in sports. When they were younger, they watched and learned from the older players and now they have the opportunity to be leaders in their own way,” he said.

In addition to teaching students about leadership, he said sports also help students find their identities.

“In school all kids try to fit in and sports help with that. They help define who the kids are and give them something to look forward to and work for after school every day,” Moore said.

Along with helping students find out who they are, Moore added that they are one of the only ways students from all three communities can socialize.

“It’s hard for a student from Southwick to hang out with a friend from Tolland. School and athletics are when people get together and with things being hybrid for now, they would be missing out on that,” he said.

One parent, Patrick Jubb, who does not have students playing fall sports, came out to support the movement.

“I want our town to do the right thing so I’m here as an advocate and to support our kids. Sports are important for mental health and camaraderie, so I don’t want the kids to lose that,” he said.

Along with the protest, one student also organized a petition on change.org that hit 1,000 signatures within one day and stood at over 1,200 signatures by the time of the protest.

Students also decorated the fences along all of the district’s buildings pushing for a return for sports.