CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Chicago teachers are hitting the picket line Thursday morning, putting student athletes on the sidelines until the strike over; and that has many concerned.
The student athletes are worried about losing out on scholarships and missing the playoffs.
Alex Sanchez is a senior at Eric Solorio Academy High School in Gage Park. He is a soccer player there and the boys’ varsity soccer team is ranked number one.
“All this hard work for what? To be stopped like all of sudden? It’s pretty sad,” said senior Alex Sanchez. "If we don't get to play, then that’s less games for us for the scouts to see us."
Another player on the team said he is concerned he won't have access to school computers to complete scholarship applications.
“I won’t really have access to anything, so I can’t really finish my applications, and for the college scouts, it could really affect whether or not I get scholarships for college,” said senior Rafael Sota.
His coach told CBS 2 that he believes the union, while fighting, failed to consider what’s at stake for all CPS athletes.
“There’s very few coaches that are union delegates, so I’m sure they didn’t get to hear our voices,” said Coach Andrian Calleros.
Simeon Career Academy parent Kenyatta Starks is hopeful an agreement can be reached soon for the sake of the athletes.
“I am very, very hopeful and I trust that Dr. Jackson and Mayor Lightfoot and the Teachers Union will come to an agreement so that the soccer team can get back to playing, and the football team can continue to do their season and do well,” Starks said.
Simeon Career Academy is only two games away from playing for the state title.
For the athletes, the strike must be over by Oct. 29 in order for CPS football teams to avoid forfeiting.