LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Lisa Dansby Williams loves connecting students in need with mental health resources.

"It's just been hard for many of the students and their families to navigate some of the resulting issues of the pandemic, whether that be domestic violence within the family, homelessness, maybe mom, dad lost a job," she said.

As the need rises, services are stretched thin.

"We do have a limited pool of mental health professionals to employ. Some of the main issues are that they are moving to different platforms to provide services. Some have been burnt out themselves by the pandemic and some of the increase of need for services and so that's been a major issue as well," Dansby said.

The national recommendation for school counselors is 1 for every 250 students. According to the National Association of School Counselors, only 17.8% of school districts met that requirement. Only 4.2% of urban school districts met it, according to pre-pandemic numbers.

"We are definitely seeing an increase in the number of students, families, and staff, and even administrators that are referring students and families to us," said Alma Lopez, who is a school counselor at a California middle school.

"It's been a challenge, you know, we're putting in some full days and then some and so definitely the need to have more mental health professionals in the school building is an essential need right now," she said.

What's been helping, Lopez said, is the waning stigma around mental health and the increased awareness from lawmakers. However, she believes more needs to be done, including help for counselors.

"More people need to actually understand the role of the school counselor and of mental health professionals right in the school building," she said.

For mental health workers, no matter what assistance comes, they're going to show up for the students, and be their much-needed rock, even if everything is so uncertain

"Right now there's a greater need to help family, so if I can make it happen, that's what I try to do," Williams said.

THE PLAINS, Ohio —

Before Joe Burrow was an NFL star, he was a small-town kid growing up in southeastern Ohio.

Those who have coached him along the way say Burrow has not forgotten where he came from.

Sam Smathers coached Burrow as a youth. Smathers assisted author Scott Burson in writing "From Bulldog to Bengal: The Joe Burrow Story Through the Eyes of His Hometown."

Ahead of its release, Smathers walked WLWT through the making of a champion.

"We're just, we're very proud, very proud of him. He's just Joe," Smathers said.

Plains, Ohio is where it all started for Burrow.

Smathers has video footage from when Burrow was a quarterback in third grade. With no one open downfield, he decided to run the ball.

Videos from sixth grade show Burrow executing more plays.

"They bring back all the memories. All the memories come back," Smathers said as he watched a highlight reel. "I've watched him grow up, and I've watched damn near every game he's ever played.

Fast forward to high school, Burrow became more competitive.

"He was very competitive in practice and the game, but he wasn't a rah-rah guy," Smathers said.

Burrow led by example.

"Everybody can see that. He's a silent leader," Smathers said.

Burrow led Athens High School to the playoffs and the state championship his senior year.

"That whole group of kids that came through there was just a talented group. You get that every so often, a good group of kids coming through, and Joe was part of that," Smathers said.

Burrow also excelled in basketball. Academics came easy to him. Teachers described him as shy and likeable. Students voted him most likely to become famous in addition to most athletic.

Smathers gives a lot of credit to Burrow's parents, Jim and Robin Burrow.

"They're just that type of people. Down to earth, well-grounded, and that's where Joey gets it," Smathers said. "He hasn't forgotten. He knows where he's from. He's proud of where he's from. I know he is," Smathers said.

That was evident throughout college at Louisiana State University and during his Heisman trophy moment, where he highlighted the issue of food insecurity in Athens County.

"People here understand that he's fed a lot of people, and they're very grateful for what he's done here," Smathers said.

And what he continues to do as a Cincinnati Bengal.

"When we win it, we're gonna win it, and it'll be our way, and way we're going to do it," Smathers said.

Smathers said he helped write the book with blessings from Burrow and his parents.

It's set to be released in the spring.

More information can be found, here.

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — Late last week, civil rights groups filed a lawsuit against a Tennessee law that restricts transgender students’ playing organized sports.

Transgender rights advocates argue that these laws are discriminatory and rob children of the benefits of social connections, persistence and physical and mental well-being. Through a national education campaign launched this week, transgender and non-binary student-athletes are speaking out.

From an early age, 17-year-old Sivan loved playing sports.

“I played basketball and football during recess and Little League Baseball and soccer,” said Sivan

But in 7^th grade, the Massachusetts teen felt it was time to transition.

“I said, ‘Hey, mom. Hey, dad, I know you know me as a female, but that's actually not right. I'm a boy.’”

He was nervous that he’d be made fun of; that people wouldn't accept him and what this could mean for his athletics.

“I definitely worried about it,” the teen said. “I knew I wanted to make the switch from the girls' team to the boys' team because that was where I belonged.”

Already, 10 states have passed laws limiting trans youth from school sports. Another 21 states have considered similar bills this year.

“What these bills do is they basically allow people's gender to be questioned, and that's happened to me and that's violating and embarrassing,” said Rebekah.

The 14-year-old New Jersey 9th-grader and transgender youth activist has been playing field hockey since fourth grade. She’s now on her school’s freshman team.

“When it comes down to it, she's just a player on the field like any other girl out there,” said her mother, Jamie.

Along with other transgender and non-binary student-athletes and their parents, Rebekah and Sivan are trying to educate others about the issue.

“We want to let our kids live their lives and figure it out on their own. And when they do, they're all stronger for it,” said Alisa, Sivan’s mother. “My kid who's trans, your kid is not trans, they're all going to figure it out and live a better life and build a better world because of it.”

The ‘Play it Out’ campaign launched this week promotes the idea that all children, including transgender and non-binary kids, should have equal access to organized sports and athletics.

“These lawmakers are only thinking about the threat that trans kids are,” said Rebekah. “But we're not. We're just happy, smiling young people trying to be ourselves and play sports and have fun while doing it.”

“Rebekah's awesome. And she works really hard, and she's a fantastic defensive player, but she's not the star of the team. She's not out there crushing people. She is working so hard to keep up and to contribute positively,” said Rebekah's mother.

Through the ‘Play it Out’ campaign, these young activists are fighting for a chance to step out on the field and be their authentic selves.

Sivan advice to young transgender athletes is to persevere.

“Don't give up because there's these adults saying that you can’t and trying to make these rules that you can’t. And if you love it, don't give up on it.”

LEBANON, Ohio —

The trial continued Tuesday for a former youth sports coach on trial for sex crimes involving children.

Eric Schmidt is charged with one count of rape, two counts of gross sexual imposition and two counts of public indecency.

Tuesday's testimony centered around text messages one of the accusers sent to friends the night she claims she was molested.

That accuser is 19 years old, but she was 12 in 2015 — the year prosecutors say crimes against her were committed.

The teenager said she was friends with Schmidt's daughter and was at their house for a sleepover in April 2015.

During her testimony, she read text messages she sent to friends that night from Schmidt's home in Mason.

"I said, 'I really don't understand why you find that funny. No, seriously, it's a remarried man trying to rape a freaking 12-year-old kid," the accuser said.

She said Schmidt exposed himself and touched her inappropriately in the theatre room of the house after his daughter fell asleep.

Assistant prosecutor Travis Vieux asked her, "Did the defendant touch your hand?"

"Yes," she said.

Vieux asked, "Did he touch your arm?"

"Yes," she said.

Vieux asked, "Did he rub up your arm?"

"Yes," she said.

Vieux asked, "Did he touch your shoulder?"

"Yes," she said.

Vieux asked, "Did he touch your breast?"

"Yes," she said.

While prosecutors are trying to use the accuser's texts as proof that Schmidt is guilty of gross sexual imposition and public indecency, defense attorneys tried using the messages to their advantage.

During cross-examination, defense attorney Bill Gallagher asked, "Eric is trying to touch you?"

"Yes," she said.

Gallagher asked, "You don't yell, right?"

"No," she said.

Gallagher asked, "You said you just sort of froze?"

"Yes," she said."

Gallagher questioned how could she be frozen at the same time she carried on text message conversations with multiple friends.

"Does it shock you at all, in all of your text messaging in here, there's not a single spelling mistake, but you're stressed out and trying to figure out what to do?" Gallagher said.

"It's called autocorrect," the accuser said.

Mason Detective Jeff Wyss also took the stand Tuesday. He said he began to investigate the 2015 allegations, but the case was closed when the accuser's family decided not to pursue charges.

That case was reopened in 2019 after a second accuser, also 12 at the time, made allegations against Schmidt.

He's been charged with rape in that case.

Prosecutors said that accuser was sexually assaulted at a party for football families in the Kings and Mason area.

Schmidt had coached youth football, baseball and softball.

That girl is 14 years old now and is expected to testify Wednesday.

Before calling her to the stand, prosecutors called a relative of Schmidt's to testify about what she said she witnessed in January 2015 when she was temporarily staying with the family.

She was 19 years old at the time.

She said she was alone with Schmidt watching Vampire Diaries when he suggested they watch the show downstairs.

She said they relocated to the theater room and continued watching Netflix.

Vieux asked her to describe what Schmidt did that she thought to be sexually inappropriate.

"When we were watching Netflix, after some time, the notice on the Netflix screen says 'Do you wish to continue? Click yes or no.' That had popped up. I looked to my right to see if the remote was near me to click yes. It wasn't there. I had turned to my left and Mr. Schmidt was sitting there with his genitals out," the relative said.

Schmidt has not been charged with any crime in connection to that incident.

Schmidt maintains his innocence. Gallagher previously said Schmidt passed a polygraph test.

LEBANON, Ohio —

A 10-year-old and his family were kicked out of a youth basketball league after his mother, attending the game, refused to wear her mask over her nose.

The family, from Lebanon, wants the league's decision reversed and said the incident never should have gone as far as it did.

Jennifer and Mike Chaney's son Connor plays for Kings Basketball Association, part of the Cincinnati Premier Youth Basketball League. Mike Chaney is the assistant coach for the team, or at least he was one week ago.

Last Sunday, Jennifer Chaney was watching her son's game against Sycamore and livestreaming via Facebook live to family and friends who could not attend due to COVID restrictions.

Chaney said she was wearing her mask below her nose, only covering her mouth when a spectator from the other team approached her and told her to wear her mask correctly. She said a man, who did not identify herself, approached her a few minutes later.

"He goes, 'Well, is there a reason that you're not wearing your mask the right way?' I said, 'There actually is. I have a medical reason for that,' and he said, 'Well, what is that?' And I said, 'Well, I don't have to tell you that,'" Jennifer Chaney said.

She said the man left her alone but spectators from the opposing team continued to yell at her during the first half of the game to put her mask over her nose. She said she was also practicing social distancing and did not feel she was endangering any other guests.

At halftime, the league president Ben Goodyear showed up.

"Ma'am you need to leave please," he Jennifer Chaney. "Take your kid with you and leave please."

He then told her, "You're not wearing your mask. I'm the league president."

"I don't give a s*** who you are," she replied.

Chaney's Facebook live video continued as she left the gym.

You can hear fans yelling at her for continuing to wear her mask under her nose.

"You got a power problem," Jennifer Chaney said. "I ain't bothering anyone down there. Yeah you do. You got a power problem. And you don't even know if I have a medical condition, dumb a**."

At the same time, the Chaneys said Goodyear instructed Mike and Conner to leave the court and told them they were being kicked out of the league.

"We had to get Connor off the court so emotionally, he's very upset," Mike Chaney said. "He starts crying, not understanding why and I'm honestly not understanding why either."

Connor's parents want the league to reverse its decision on expelling the family from the league and allow Connor to finish the season.

The family said Connor has been watching the games virtually at home and wants to play with his friends again.

The family also provided WLWT with a physician's note, attesting to Jennifer Chaney having a medical condition that exempts her from wearing a mask. She said she has been treated for the condition for several years.

The league's COVID-19 rules, listed online, clearly state that spectators are required to wear face coverings. The league president told WLWT the league's rules "do not grant medical exemptions."

The state's order on youth sports, released by the Ohio Department of Health, reads that spectators are required to wear face coverings but individuals can be exempt due to medical conditions.

Cincinnati Premier Youth Basketball League COVID-19 rules:

"Everyone entering the gym is required to wear a cloth face covering and follow social distancing guidelines at all times. Anyone not wearing a face covering will not be allowed in the gym. Anyone who removes their face covering will be required to leave the facility immediately. Players can remove their mask for warmups and the game.

"Plastic masks or face shields are not permitted."

Statement provided by president Ben Goodyear:

"In accordance with the State of Ohio Department of Health Covid-19 Sports Order, the CPYBL has established clear Covid-19 guidelines for all participants, including coaches, players, parents/spectators. The guidelines require all game attendees to wear a mask at all times. In this case, the parent was given multiple opportunities to wear her mask but she refused. Therefore, she was asked to leave the gym. At no time, did she ever alert gym or league personnel that she had a medical condition. However, league rules do not grant medical exemptions. We did this because the CPYBL takes the safety of players, coaches, officials, and fans very seriously. To be clear, her ejection from the gym was the result of her refusal to wear a mask. Her expulsion from the league was the result of her multiple violations of the CPYBL Parent Code of Conduct."

Excerpt from the Ohio Department of Health's Sept. 25 order which provides requirements for youth, collegiate, amateur, club and professional sports:

"Spectators must wear face coverings at all times except for one of the reasons stated in the Director's Order for Facial Coverings throughout the State of Ohio, signed July 23, 2020, or as it may thereafter be amended. The Order's exemptions include, but are not limited to: 1. The individual is under 10 years of age; 2. The individual has a medical condition, including respiratory conditions that restrict breathing, mental health conditions, or disabilities that contraindicate the wearing of a facial covering."