Spring youth hockey ‘OK to proceed’ for now, say organizers

The 4x4 Youth Ice Hockey League is playing a waiting game when it comes to the COVID -19 pandemic.

The spring hockey league, which plays out of Emerald Park’s Communiskate, plans on opening the 2020 season April 4 despite many cancellations in the sports community due to the novel coronavirus.

“As of this moment, we think that it’s OK to proceed,” Ian Mckenzie, a part-owner of the non-contact minor hockey league, said Tuesday.

“We’re going to play it by ear, see what happens by then and we’re going to wait and see. There are several leagues that we are aware of that are doing the same thing that we are. We’re going to see how it plays out over the next couple of weeks and then make a decision.

“We are totally prepared to shut it down if we need to. We’re just giving it a couple more weeks.”

Whether the league proceeds might be in doubt considering it was announced Tuesday that the Communiskate was closed in response to the provincial and federal sanctions. However, the ice will remain in place while the rink is closed.

“To date, I’ve heard from one person that has suggested that we should close — out of 500 players,” said Mckenzie, whose league features players ranging from five to 17 years of age.

“We’re still getting people registering at a dozen a day since Friday. We’re waiting to hear from our players and coaches to see what they think. We’re getting a dozen people (registering) and people are asking to go on our waiting list every day.

“As far as our players and our coaches are concerned, nobody has any concerns about playing ”

Southey’s Rhianon Scott contacted the league with her concerns about it proceeding.

“We’re talking about 10 players, plus a goalie on each team, plus coaches, parents and staff, and we’re all going to go to the rink?” Scott said.

“I thought that was the point of cancelling minor hockey. From everything the government has said, we shouldn’t be in school from now until June. I don’t think we should be meeting at the rink, either.”

Mckenzie feels because the league hasn’t started playing, there is time to cancel or postpone the season. If the season is cancelled, refunds will be provided.

“If we were starting this weekend, we would have postponed it,” Mckenzie said.

“There are a variety of opinions on how kids should be handled, so it’s not cut and dried. We don’t need much to shut it down and we’re waiting it out because we have time.

“We have 21/2 weeks before we’re scheduled to start. We can postpone it past that or make a decision at some point that it’s just not worth it.

“We’ll see how it goes.”