I want to offer a shout-out to the folks at Newton Girls Soccer and Newton Youth Soccer and their umbrella organizations, Boston Area Youth Soccer (BAYS) and the Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association, for their success in offering kids the opportunity to practice and play these last two months. Under guidelines from the Commonwealth and the soccer associations, modifications were made to the rules of the game to greatly diminish the chance of Covid-19 infection among the players, coaches, and referees.

And ditto for the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) and Eastern Massachusetts Soccer Officials Association (EMSOA), who did likewise with regard to high school soccer matches.

I had a chance to referee youth and high school games from late September to early November in Newton and many surrounding communities. The level of adherence to the guidelines and, equally important, the positive attitudes of participants made for many pleasurable and safely competitive games.

This was a great story of how the athletic community came together to provide much needed exercise and camaraderie for our region’s children. It also provides a reminder of the importance of youth athletics in helping to maintain the physical and emotional health of our young people (and their coaches and referees).