While teams and athletes here in Yellowknife await the doors to open so they can begin playing again, the same can be said for many plying their trade down south.
Those playing junior and university hockey are having to go through various levels of shutdowns and protocols. Yellowknifer reached out to some who have either had to sit and wait or who are currently sitting and waiting, such as Zach Zorn, a member of the menSA国际影视传媒檚 hockey team at Concordia University in Montreal. The school announced a closure of all athletic facilities on Jan. 6 and that order will remain in place until further notice.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 unfortunate because I thought we had passed through the worst of it,SA国际影视传媒� Zorn said Wednesday in reference to the Covid-19 pandemic.
ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a double-whammy of sorts for Zorn because even though he attends a school based in Quebec, they have to abide by the rules in Ontario as the Concordia Stingers play in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Conference. The Ontario government announced on Jan. 3 that the province would be moving into step two of its reopening protocol, meaning no indoor programs of any sort can proceed until further notice.
That followed the OUASA国际影视传媒檚 announcement on Dec. 17 of a suspension of all winter varsity sports until Jan. 24.
Zorn said it can be confusing trying to figure out whatSA国际影视传媒檚 going on because two provincial governments are involved in the decision-making.
SA国际影视传媒淲e have to do what Ontario says because their rules apply to us,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 know the exact differences (between the provinces) but ISA国际影视传媒檓 sure a lot of it is similar.SA国际影视传媒�
To make up for lost time, Zorn made the trip to Boston, Mass., to get in some group skates and workouts. He arrived there earlier this week.
He said the hope is to get back to practices by the end of the month and continue the season, but there will be some players missing. With the National Hockey League bringing back the SA国际影视传媒渢axi squadsSA国际影视传媒� SA国际影视传媒� players who can be called up from the minors to help fill rosters during the current Covid-19 situation SA国际影视传媒� some players have decided to leave school and take spots with minor-league teams, most notably the ECHL, as numerous players from that league have been called up to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliates.
Zorn said he was offered a chance to do just that but decided school was the wiser option.
SA国际影视传媒淢y adviser laid it all out for me and encouraged me to think about it,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 would have done it if I was graduating because I could have finished up online but I would lose my school eligibility if I did that.SA国际影视传媒�
As well, he reasoned that those taxi squads wonSA国际影视传媒檛 last forever and those players will be sent back down to their farm teams eventually.
SA国际影视传媒楢 lot snatched awaySA国际影视传媒�
Kiah Vail of Fort Smith is in almost the same situation as Zorn. She plays with the womenSA国际影视传媒檚 hockey team at the University of Ottawa and, like Zorn, sheSA国际影视传媒檚 caught in the middle of two different governments making rules. The Ottawa Gee-Gees play in the R茅seau du sport 茅tudiant du Qu茅bec (RSEQ, Quebec Student Sports Federation), meaning they have to abide by QuebecSA国际影视传媒檚 rules in terms of games and they canSA国际影视传媒檛 do anything team-wise due to the schoolSA国际影视传媒檚 edict of no sports.
Vail said she knew once the case numbers began to rise that something was going to happen and it wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 be good.
SA国际影视传媒淚 thought we would at least be able to practice, but no,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 the toughest part SA国际影视传媒� I was already out of shape because of an injury but now itSA国际影视传媒檚 tougher to stay in shape because we wonSA国际影视传媒檛 be on the ice for so long.SA国际影视传媒�
She pointed out that the Canada West Conference is still able to play games and a look at the schedule shows a game between the universities of Regina and Saskatchewan still going ahead on Jan. 14 with no notice of postponement or cancellation.
SA国际影视传媒淐anada West can play but we canSA国际影视传媒檛,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 absolutely no consistency in any league and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 frustrating. The boys as well at our school SA国际影视传媒� they get to do ODR (outdoor rink) practices because thereSA国际影视传媒檚 a rink near their coachSA国际影视传媒檚 house but we canSA国际影视传媒檛 do that.SA国际影视传媒�
Vail plans to try to get in some ODR workouts where she can, but she found a good way to keep in shape: snowboarding.
SA国际影视传媒淚 got to do some snowboarding at Mont Tremblant and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 a great workout, along with skiing,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淒aily walks as well SA国际影视传媒� anything to get outside and stay active because a lot of athletes are struggling with movement and staying active. TheySA国际影视传媒檝e had a lot snatched away from them over the last two years.SA国际影视传媒�
Some initial anxiety
Another player whoSA国际影视传媒檚 endured a pause in activities is Sam Schofield, who plays with the Cowichan Valley Capitals of the BC Hockey League (BCHL). The Capitals were one of three teams that had to shut things down between Jan. 3 and 8 due to positive Covid-19 cases among players. The Penticton Vees and Langley Rivermen were the other two teams affected.
Schofield said he and Ethan Anstey, the other Yellowknife player on the Capitals, are fine. However, he admitted that it was a little hairy when the news dropped.
SA国际影视传媒淚 was scared a bit,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 think we were all a bit nervous because of whatSA国际影视传媒檚 going on but we all got back on the ice and weSA国际影视传媒檙e all good,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
The BCHL policy states that if any player has symptoms of any sort, they are to report it to their coach and schedule a Covid test. If the situation gets bad enough, the team shuts down operations for at least five days under the provinceSA国际影视传媒檚 Covid-19 health and safety protocols and any games that were scheduled during the shutdown are postponed. In the case of the Capitals, their games on Jan. 6 and 7 will be rescheduled.
The Capitals got back to it on Jan. 9 and Schofield said it was obvious they needed some work.
SA国际影视传媒淲e were all out of shape not being on the ice for five days but weSA国际影视传媒檙e back and itSA国际影视传媒檚 all good,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
Outbreak after outbreak
Jack Works, at Denver University in Colorado, had to sit for a while after a Covid-19 outbreak on his hockey team just before the new year.
It wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 the first time it happened, either.
Right before the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) playoffs last season, the team contended with an outbreak, depleting the roster at the worst possible time.
SA国际影视传媒淲e were hoping that it wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 happen but some guys got it,SA国际影视传媒� Works said. SA国际影视传媒淲e ended up playing with about 16 guys.SA国际影视传媒�
Everyone on the team is fully vaccinated, he said, and the Covid-19 protocol is similar to the one in the BCHL.
SA国际影视传媒淚f youSA国际影视传媒檙e a close contact of someone who has it, you go get tested and self-monitor,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚f youSA国际影视传媒檙e negative, you go back and play.SA国际影视传媒�
The team was supposed to play the University of Nebraska-Omaha (UNO) last weekend but those games had to be postponed due to Covid-19 spreading among UNOSA国际影视传媒檚 roster. DenverSA国际影视传媒檚 scheduled opponents this weekend, St. Cloud State of Minnesota, also suffered an outbreak and they wonSA国际影视传媒檛 be travelling to Colorado to play. As it happens, UNO has been given the green light to travel again and they will play in place of St. Cloud State.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 really weird how it all came about but weSA国际影视传媒檙e playing this weekend,SA国际影视传媒� said Works.
As for his fellow post-secondary brethren in Ontario and Quebec, Works said he sympathizes with them not being able to play.
SA国际影视传媒淚 feel for them and anyone else who isnSA国际影视传媒檛 able to play right now,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e lucky that we can practice and play here and they canSA国际影视传媒檛 even get a proper practice.SA国际影视传媒�
