Air quality threat forcing young players off fields
The smoke that has filled southern Alberta’s air throughout August has proven to be a worthy opponent for minor sports teams across the city, forcing children off the field and indoors.
Calgary’s air quality was once again at a high risk on Sunday, reaching a rating of seven on the Air Quality Health Index. The city was under a special air quality statement for much of the day due to wildfire smoke drifting from B.C.
A low risk was in the forecast for early Monday, according to Environment Canada, however, it warns smoke conditions can vary on an hourly basis.
“In my 35 years, I’ve never seen it like this before. Let’s hope it’s a one-off,” said Al Cooper, bantam head coach of the Calgary Cowboys Football Club.
Cooper said all bantam teams finished their games on Saturday by the late afternoon, when Calgary’s air quality took a turn for the worse. But he said four games at the peewee level were cancelled last Thursday, wiping out the start of the football season for that age group.
“We haven’t been able to sit down and reschedule those yet because there would be such an impact on the beginning of the season to try and slip more games in,” said Cooper.
He added that a number of teams have relocated their practices to indoor facilities, limiting their preseason preparation.
Cooper called a rating of seven on the Air Quality Health Index the “benchmark” that organizers use to decide whether it’s unsafe to play. “If you get to seven or above, you actually should get off the field and not participate,” he said. “It’s one of those ones that we have no control over whatsoever. We want to make sure that when parents or grandparents or younger siblings are coming to watch a game that they’re comfortable, too.”
The smoke even led to the cancellation of the Calgary Minor Football Jamboree on Aug. 18, affecting 1,000 players across 22 teams. The annual charity exhibition event raises money for Ronald McDonald House.
“You almost have to wait until almost game time because if the wind shifts or it rains it can improve things, but if it gets warm, obviously it’s going to shoot up,” Cooper said.
Ron Logan, president of the Calgary Bantam Football Association, said extra field time is booked should the league need to make up cancelled games.
“We certainly don’t want to put the kids at risk,” Logan said. “Our teams, most of them, had a couple of nights indoors last week where they didn’t go outside. They just went in on the blackboard and stuff like that. Right now, I guess it’s week to week for the next few probably, just to see what the smoke is doing. Hopefully, we’ve seen the worst of it.”
Last week also saw up to six soccer games cancelled as local teams from the Calgary Blizzard Soccer Club geared up for the provincial finals.