ONTARIO, Calif. — On Saturdays, Mike Shelton supports his son, King, at youth football practice.
What You Need To Know
- Mike Shelton's son is a freshman for Arizona State football
- He wants his son to live his dreams, but is concerned the school hasn't defined its coronavirus protocol
- UCLA head coach Chip Kelly reportedly contracted the virus earlier this off-season
- A large group of Pac-12 players say they may opt out of season if safety measures aren't met
But unlike most at practice, they are wearing masks — even on the field — taking COVID-19 as seriously as possible.
“Deadly serious. Very serious,” Mike said. “I mean it’s way too many people catching, way too many people dying from it.”
It is why he’s concerned for his oldest son, LV Bunkley-Shelton, who is now a freshman on campus at Arizona State. LV is getting ready for Pac-12 football under legendary coach Herm Edwards.
“It’s like an NFL coaching staff right there," LV said in June. "Trying to start football, trying to start my new life."
Not all Pac-12 players feel that way.
A large group of them, which includes UCLA and USC players, say they will not play unless proper safety measures are met. Parents like Mike Shelton still don’t know the safety protocols one week before practices are set to begin.
We using our platform to ignite a conversation that is long overdue. It’s way bigger than football, I promis you that. Hold ya tongue and listen. #WeAreUnited pic.twitter.com/spkJz8z19Y
— Elijah Higgins (@ehigggz) August 2, 2020
“Just something written down that is solid and fine, as opposed to everybody just thinking and wondering or hoping is going to happen or might not happen,” Mike said.
He is a dad caught in the middle, knowing how hard LV has worked to get this point.
“And that’s the hard part,” Mike added. “Because you’re excited for them. You wanna see them, you wanna see them come out of that tunnel, you wanna see him put a uniform on, catch a pass, score a touchdown. But his health comes first.”
While he can’t be with LV on campus, Mike is hoping the Pac-12 gives clear safety standards soon. He is practicing what he’s preaching, wearing masks with his boys, trying to bend the coronavirus curve while growing the next generation of football stars.