The effects of COVID-19 have been tough on youth sports.

So much so that the Rage Volleyball Club, which calls the Mistlin Indoor Sports Facility home, is requesting a waiver with the City of Ripon on rent payment at tonight’s 6 o’clock Ripon City Council meeting.

“Due to COVID-19 and the Emergency Health Order issued by the Governor and the San Joaquin Health Officer, Rage had to cancel all volleyball games and tournament for 2020-2021,” said Recreation Director Kye Stevens in his staff report to the Ripon City Council.

He added that since the end of November, the facility has been completely closed.

Rage – an elite volleyball club with elite sports training – inked a 10-year lease with the City in the summer of 2019 for use and operation of the indoor sports facility located on 1201 W. River Rosd.

Under the Third Amendment of the lease and operation agreement, RAGE can request the waiver on rent payments from last month until 30 days after the restrictions on youth sports are lifted.

The current restrictions do not allow youth sports volleyball games and tournaments during the pandemic, Stevens noted.

As for the financial impact, he indicated that the revenue received from Rage’s lease of the Mistlin Indoor Sports Arena is transferred annually to pay off the internal loan incurred for the construction of the parking lot.

The original loan was about $1.5 million funded by the Parks & Recreation General Capital Fund, with the outstanding balance as of Nov. 30 being about $1.4 million.