Summer camps stuck in holding pattern
More than 300 athletes from the Sun Youth Organization have earned sports scholarships to Canadian and American universities since it was established in 1954.
But due to the current coronavirus pandemic, the Sun Youth basketball team has been unable to travel. While there remains hope for football, and the winter hockey program should continue given its emphasis on development and introduction rather than competition, there’s no certainty Sun Youth’s summer camps can proceed this year.
“This summer, nothing is too sure,” said Ann St. Arnaud, Sun Youth’s director of community services. “We’re not sure what’s happening.”
While the provincial government on Wednesday unveiled a phased-in plan for the resumption of outdoor recreation activities starting May 20, team sports and summer camps still are waiting for health guidelines. Until more information is provided, numerous organizations are in a holding pattern.
Sun Youth has stopped its sports and recreation activities, along with its school programs for both underprivileged kids and those requiring social mentoring. Emergency services remain open to the public, but by appointment only. At least 150 kids will be affected, according to St. Arnaud, should basketball and day camps be cancelled.
“I don’t think that’s going to happen for the first summer ever,” she lamented.
Gary Gaul, founder of the Montreal Manic Football Academy in Dorval, has nine weeks of summer camps with between 75 and 100 kids per session hanging in the balance.
“This may sound crazy, but COVID-19 actually is the best thing that could have happened to our academy,” Gaul said. “It has forced us to adapt and overcome. Like any form of survival, it’s only those who can adapt and overcome that survive.”
Gaul’s academy immediately switched to virtual online training when the health crisis began. And beginning Saturday, it will launch 50-minute strength and conditioning sessions while respecting social-distancing guidelines.
Each child will have his hands sanitized, temperature taken upon arrival with a digital infrared thermometer and must bring his own shoes. While parents remain in the car, the participant will be restricted to a nine square-metre rectangular box, separated by cones. Each box is separated by four metres.
“I don’t believe there will be a return to amateur soccer this year,” Gaul said. “I believe the season will be cancelled. It’s a contact sport. You can’t have a match and keep the two-metre distance. It doesn’t work in this sport.”
John Limniatis, the technical-director for Lakeshore Soccer, has similar concerns.
Limniatis, a former head coach of the Montreal Impact, wonders about the status of Lakeshore’s day, competitive and in-residence camps, not to mention the initiation program for the youngest of the sport’s potential next wave of players. League play is also a concern with about 3,500 players affected.
“Now it obviously is starting to get stressful. Everything’s unknown,” Limniatis said. “We had a bit of a setback from (Wednesday). We want to have a season and we’re optimistic. I am. That’s for sure.”
Despite the uncertainty moving forward, Limniatis said the registration rate for Lakeshore’s various programs sits at 60 per cent. Some have turned down the offer of a refund. The executive committee, he added, is exploring the possibility of seeking government assistance.
The Association des camps du Québec (ACQ), representing the province’s 231 certified day and overnight camps, also is hoping for financial support once the province’s safety guidelines are established.