University teams struggling with reality of massive sports void
Coaches supportive of players who have opportunities to play in other jurisdictions
The signs that the end was near were everywhere, but crosstown rivals Shaun Van Allen of the Carleton Ravens and Patrick Grandmaître of the Ottawa
Gee- Gees were still holding on to hope that the university hockey season could somehow be salvaged.
Until Thursday, that is, when U Sports, the governing body for Canadian university sport, cancelled all sanctioned events and championships until the end of the school year due to COVID-19 concerns. That includes hockey, basketball, volleyball, track and field, swimming and wrestling. The fall sports season had previously been wiped out.
There are about 20,000 university student-athletes in Canada.
“I feel bad for the players, especially all the guys in their last years, trying to get their degrees, but who will be done (with school) and move on — who aren't going to get one more chance,” Van Allen said Friday.
“Our athletes are better students when they have hockey.”
Grandmaître, whose team is loaded with young players, offered similar sentiments.
The Gee-Gees were at the national championships last March when the arrival of the pandemic wiped out the tournament.
“Last season ended so abruptly and now this one is cancelled,” said Grandmaître, who had been crossing his fingers USports would announce a delay to the start of sports, but not an outright cancellation.
“It has been a struggle through practice and training. We haven't had a full week here without modifying something here or there. It's a trying time. We're not looking for pity. We understand that a lot of people have been affected, getting sick, losing jobs.”
While most university classes are online, players have had the opportunity to practise. But the workout protocols have been constantly changing, based on the standards set by health officials in Ottawa and Ontario.
After the ice had opened up for more players in September, the recent second wave in Ottawa has resulted in another step back. A maximum of 10 skaters — including coaches — are allowed on the ice at any time. There are also strict limits to dressing room access.
At this point, Van Allen says, Carleton isn't going to stand in the way of any decision a student-athlete wants to make.
If a player has an option to play professionally — either in Europe, where games are being played or in the ECHL, which could restart in the New Year — the university will stand behind them. He also recognizes that some out-of-province players could have access to better training options in parts of the country where there are fewer cases of COVID-19.
“There are 20 different options, what can we do best for the guys?” he said.
“Do what's best for you. No judgments are being made. If you think you have a job at home
or have better options skating at home — if that's more beneficial — then do it. If you have an opportunity to play pro hockey and you're still working toward your degree, I'll help you pack.”
Again, Grandmaître is on the same page.
“The guys can take whatever decisions they need to,” he said. “We can't hold student athletes back. If a kid is from Winnipeg and that's a yellow zone (as opposed to a more restrictive red zone) and there's more to do there, he might decide to go home. There's zero pressure. But we will provide a workframe here with ice, training and support.”
The cancellation of national university championships received unanimous support from U Sports' board of directors, along with the country's four sports associations — Ontario University Athletics, Atlantic University Sport, Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec and Canada West. It's the first time since 1961 that no national university champions will be crowned.
“We wanted to take things one step at a time,” Lisette Johnson Stapley, chief sports officer for USports, told CBC.
“This is an unprecedented situation. We hoped that things would change, that a vaccine would be found or there was some way we could still hold (national titles).”
The communities scheduled to hold Canadian championships are facing health challenges.
“Timing was important for us with this decision. Some student athletes want to know if they should stay for the term or not.”
There could be a possibility of exhibition games in the new year — maybe the Ravens and GeeGees could play each other — but there are countless obstacles that need to be cleared before that's a possibility.
“You have a belief that things will get better the next day, the next week,” said Grandmaître. “I feel like we've taken so many blows. I want to fast forward three years down the road where we can say, `do you remember that time when there was no hockey?'”