Central Coast players excluded from Newcastle premier leagues due to Covid can apply to NSW Health for an exemption, Northern NSW Football chief executive David Eland says.
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Having been informed of this, Theo Vlandis has applied for an exemption for his son Paul Vlandis.
He is awaiting a response from authorities.
Paul, who plays for the Valentine under-14 team, is among about 150 Central Coast-based football players who play in Newcastle premier leagues but have had their season put on hold.
About half the season had been played when the Central Coast went into lockdown, as part of Greater Sydney.
"Valentine is only 25 minutes from the Central Coast and we're in lockdown and they're still playing and training," Paul said.
"It's like we're in two worlds. It's disappointing."
If the lockdown continues for another couple of months, the season will be over for the Coast-based players.
Paul put in a lot of time and effort to make the Valentine team, which plays in the NPL youth competition.
Mr Vlandis said it was frustrating that his son had missed out on playing, given outdoor activities were much less risky for Covid and the Central Coast had no community transmission.
"I understand the rules that the NSW government has imposed, but I think it should have been dealt with a little bit better," he said.
"I don't think the Central Coast should have been in lockdown. Maybe the government should have closed the freeway from the Hawkesbury."
He noted that the government was giving Central Coast small businesses $10,000 each for loss of trade.
"If they had stopped workers going to Sydney and coming back and forth, the government would have saved millions of dollars."
Paul is continuing to train in his backyard and at the local football field.
He is hopeful of a return to play before the season ends.
On the Central Coast, community sport has been totally shut down.
Gosford over-35s player-coach Greg Francis said there was no doubt that the community sport ban was "having a profound impact upon the wellbeing of people - young and old".
Mr Francis, a school principal, said he was concerned about the short- and long-term effects of a lack of sport.
"The benefits of physical exercise and involvement in team sports are well documented, providing children with a sense of belonging and self worth," he said.
"Children are turning to gaming, social media platforms and online sites for entertainment and education, which decreases their physical output and ability to develop the necessary social skills to relate to others in real-world situations."
Mr Francis said sport "fosters a sense of social connectedness, builds lasting and positive relationships and supports physical and mental health".
He had seen firsthand how sport had supported a teammate and his family to face a cancer battle.
"Having said all this, it is a necessary evil having community sport on hold during this period of high infection."
He believed that minimising community transmission would "maximise the chance of returning to community sports in the near future".
