USC families petitioning to attend football games this fall

The year of 2020 has been anything other than normal. In fact, it’s been completely bizarre.

So when the 2020 football season was altered, three times mind you, we knew that we’d have to roll with the punches. When the USC Trojans football schedule was announced, however, there became a hurdle that just because of geographic location seems insurmountable.

That’s where the strength of family comes into play, though.

Just like 2020, USC WR Bru McCoy’s year and subsequent journey to USC has been anything other than normal. And though he’s found what is absolutely his right home for this time, his parents aren’t going quietly with the fact that the state of California, nor the Pac-12, is currently not allowing any fans in the stands for football games this year.

Starting exactly where they need to, Horace and Shelby McCoy are teaming up with a couple of rivals to help out a common cause.

According to a story from the Los Angeles Times, multiple parents have signed an online petition this past week to express their ‘dismay and implore local and state officials to consider an exemption to allow families to attend.’

“We’re just dying to see that first time when he runs out of the tunnel,” Shelby McCoy said. “It’s like climbing a mountain, and then you get to the top, and you can’t look. As a mom, I just want to be there so bad.”

Though the Pac-12 previously voted to not have any fans in the stands, they’ve not allowed a similar exemption, providing spots for families to attend their conference games this year.

However, that is subject to local and state health guidelines, something that USC and UCLA currently does not have. Los Angeles County, currently seeing a spike in COVID-19 cases, will have to allow their own exemption.

And as USC head coach Clay Helton reiterated to the media this past week, it’s not up to him.

“It’s not a Pac-12 decision, it’s not a USC decision,” USC coach Clay Helton said Thursday. “And the city and the state have done what’s best for the community. So hopefully it will change. I’m a parent. I’ve got a son that’s in high school. I would love to see him play as long as it’s safe and the environment’s safe.”

We’ll continue to monitor this situation, but as of last count, the petition had over 3,600 signatures and was still being pushed forward by both USC and UCLA families.

“We’ll do whatever we can, just to get inside that stadium.”

The full story from the LA Times is here.

We at Conquest Chronicles are very hopeful that LA County will do the right thing and allow families in, with the right safety protocols set in place. And we’ll keep at it.

As always — FIGHT ON!