Last week, UWS announced the 2020 National Cup, a small format (currently 7 clubs) tournament to be held in Round Rock, TX (story to come later this week). Several weeks ago, UPSL announced that the 2020 Spring season would kick off in a limited number of states across the country. There will be no national playoffs, but locally, there will be matches. And while many in the soccer community are celebrating this return to soccer, I’m left wondering if this is the right decision.

The pandemic has really derailed life across the world. For months now, people have been forced to adjust their lives in hopes of flattening the curve. Facial protections, social distancing, and limited travel have all become a part of the equation which governs our daily lives. With schools and daycares now closed, kids are kept home to stay safe. Unemployment has surged nationally, while many have lost jobs, and others have had hours severely slashed. In most circumstances, those that are continuing to work have to take their lives into their own hands, particularly if they are older or immunocompromised. And ALL sports were cancelled for a time.

But life finds a way.

People are beginning to go out, some with care, while others seem to throw caution to the wind. Stores are packed in parts of the country, while restaurants seem to have customers on every corner. Beaches are crowded with people. Protests for reopening seem to have had some effect as more and more states are trying to take the economy back online.

In soccer, the Bundesliga was back first, then the Premier League is coming back online in a week or so, and soon NWSL and MLS will follow suit in this country. NISA is in talks for a summer tournament, while USL seems to be headed towards playing a limited schedule with some audience (not sure just yet). And while it seems like these leagues have some protocols in place, the further down the chain you go, the less money is available to implement rigid testing and sequestering.

I understand that every person’s reaction to the pandemic and their level of care is based on a host of factors - personal risk, family risk, economic status, geographic location, political affiliation, scientific background, information level - all of those things play a role in how you’ve decided to deal with the pandemic. And while I think I am right, I live in a pluralistic society, we’re in this together and I’m not the king. So, we have to come to a consensus locally, state-wide, and as a nation. We have to decide how we will function.

For me, I am a 41-year-old, type 2 diabetic. I feel a high level of risk due to my own health, but that’s pretty specific to me. My city has seen our numbers rise and our curve has never “flattened” but continued to rise. I am forced to work because I have bills to pay and my company has remained open, and that makes me worry a lot. I see so many people who refuse to wear masks, regardless of the science behind it. Not wearing a mask has become some sort of badge to prove loyalty to political persuasion. The political machinations have also fostered a rising wave of anti-science and anti-media sentiment, which amplifies people’s second guessing. It’s frustrating and makes me feel unsafe. For me, no amount of soccer is worth the risk of death - to me or anyone else. And I am the editor of this tiny section of the internet called Protagonist Soccer.

So, with all that being said, UPSL and UWS are readying to kick off. How should we handle our coverage? My staff is divided. One argued no. One argued yes, but with disclaimers. One has remained silent on the matter so far. But in the end, this is my call.

And that’s why I’m writing this article. Because the baby has to be split some way and this article is that split. We’ll continue to cover soccer, but we will do it with great fear about the health ramifications for those involved. We’ll cover it remotely (as we do most of the time anyway), but we’ll generate articles and reports on the leagues that are playing. I believe in the game and want to see it flourish, so we’ll cover it. This site occupies a particular niche that few else fill - we cover these levels of soccer (to the best of our ability). If we don’t write the articles, who else will?

So, we will.

- Dan Vaughn