El Paso grants permit for youth baseball tourney despite pandemic
EL PASO, Texas -- National Championship Sports, a private athletic organization, is moving forward with it's youth baseball tournament in the Sun City. The group will be playing at Blackie Chester Park and Marty Robins Park over the July Fourth holiday weekend.
The City of El Paso is not affiliated with the group as it is not a city league, however city officials did give the green light on the tournament when it approved the permits to use the ballparks.
"They have obtained a permit for all three days and they are allowed to play and will continue to play," said city spokeswoman Laura Cruz-Acosta. "The latest order by the governor does allow an exemption for individuals to play without a mask as long as they are practicing social distancing," Cruz-Acosta said.
The tournament that includes teams with children aged 5-18 will be the first time many players have returned to the diamond since the outbreak of Covid-19.
"We truly believe that the mental state of a child is important being able to go out there have some fun have some normality is something important for us," said Luis Tovar, state director of National Championship Sports.
The group will be taking precautions and will be operating under Covid-19 guidelines as it moves forward, the organizer said.
"We are sanitizing dugouts, taking temperatures at the gate where anyone over 99-degrees won't be entering the premises. We will make sure that everyone is having a face covering: no face covering, no entrance," Tovar said.
If you would like to learn more about this organization and the tournament feel free to follow this link.
