Summer Camp Tag, Wiffle Ball Will Come With a Warning, Thanks to New York Politicians
 

Summer Camp Tag, Wiffle Ball Will Come With a Warning, Thanks to New York Politicians
New regulations on classic children's games like tag, kickball and Wiffle Ball at New York day camps are an unnecessary attempt to "legislate fun," the president of the company behind the iconic backyard game told FoxNews.com.
Dave Mullany, president of Wiffle Ball, Inc., based in Shelton, Conn., told FoxNews.com that he was shocked to hear that lawmakers in Albany recently identified the activity as "poses a significant risk of injury" along with other iconic childhood pastimes, like dodgeball.
"It's crazy," Mullany said on Tuesday. "Amid all this talk of us becoming a nation of overweight kids, we really need to promote activity and kids having fun. Should these kids go to summer camp and sit quietly with their hands folded? It's a little disconcerting to see fun being legislated."
Mullany said he expects to receive additional emails on top of the ones already "pouring in" voicing opposition to the new guidelines.
The New York State Department of Health created the list of risky recreational activities in response to a state law passed in 2009. According to the New York Daily News, the law sought to close a loophole that legislators said allowed too many indoor camp programs to operate without oversight.
Under the new regulations, any program that offers two or more organized recreational activities -- with at least one of them on the risky list -- is deemed a summer camp and subject to state regulation.
"People talk about how we're less and less active and that we're concerned about the increasing waistlines, so to kind of limit what kids do for activity and recreation is somewhat ludicrous," Mullany continued.
Mullany also noted that Wiffle Ball is the only activity identified by brand name.
"It catches you off-guard when you see something like this, and especially as the only brand name mentioned," he said. "I'm sure I'll be hearing from friends who are parents."
The games are not banned at camps, but they come at a play-at-your-own-risk cost. Camps that want campers to play the games will be required to pay a $200 registration fee and have medical staff on hand. There are roughly 2,300 regulated summer camps in New York that are required to be under permit and be inspected twice a year by the state's Department of Health.
The state claims that this has resulted in markedly low levels of serious incidents. State statistics claim that of more than 640,000 children who attend camps, less than two-tenths of one percent are injured in any manner.

Games/activities on the warning list:
* Capture the Flag
* Crab Soccer
* Dodgeball
* Flag Tag
* Flag Football
* Ga Ga
* Kickball
* Nuk-em
* Red Rover
* Steal the Bacon
* Tag (all varieties)

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/04/19...#ixzz1JzuPEACY