In Grapevine, a youth baseball tournament is underway amid rising coronavirus cases in Texas.
Young athletes and their parents gathered at Oak Grove Park in Grapevine for the Travel Sports Baseball World Series, put on by National Championship Sports for youth teams. COVID-19 cases are on the rise in Texas and teams from across the state are participating.
Jenay Bowen’s son is one of the players. Her family joined the tournament Saturday. She said she feels safe.
“The staff has been great really making sure we are abiding by all the rules and regulations that are out there,” said Bowen.
She said she weighed all factors before deciding to let her son play and feels she made the right decision.
“We want to make sure that they stay healthy and that they’re doing all the right things out here,” said Bowen. “We have hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes and everything we’re supposed to be doing to make sure to keep them germ-free.”
Under Governor Greg Abbott’s order, youth recreational sports are still allowed to take place. And the City of Grapevine is abiding by a recent Tarrant County order to require face coverings inside of businesses.
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As for the tournament, Kevin Mitchell, director of Grapevine Parks and Recreation, said event organizers and the city are working together to make sure masks are worn during the games.
“I do know that some patrons have been asked to leave, I’m not sure how many because they manage that side of it,” said Mitchell. “And I do know that some teams have been given a full refund because they chose not to follow the guidelines from the tournament provider.”
On its website, National Championship Sports reminds attendees to wear masks and maintain social distancing in order to remain in good standing with municipalities such as Grapevine.
“I’m proud as the director of Grapevine Parks and Rec that we’ve been able to provide an avenue to give some glimmer of normalcy to these kids,” said Mitchell.
Ultimately, Mitchell said it is up to the city to allow the tournament to continue at its facilities.
