Excalibur, Knights fall teams sidelined
University, college sports lack medical staffing to do testing to allow games to go on without spectators
There will be no college or university sports in Peterborough this fall.
Fleming Knights and Trent Excalibur varsity teams will be sidelined following Monday’s cancellation of the OUA and OCAA fall seasons.
Administration at both schools support the OUA and OCAA decisions as they deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was a very difficult decision that both the OUA and U Sports made but totally understandable and we’re supportive,” said Deborah Bright-Brundle, Trent director of athletics and recreation.
“The health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches, officials, everyone in the community has to be first priority.”
“It was a very difficult decision for the college,” said Sandra Dupret, Fleming vice-president of student experience.
“It certainly aligns with our Fleming Safe Plan ensuring the campuses are maintaining the highest possible safety standards in compliance with the government and public directives.
“Putting the safety of our athletes and coaches as a top priority is key. From a health and safety standpoint as it relates to COVID it’s certainly the right decision but the impact on students is definitely disappointing.
“We know varsity athletics and recreational athletics are an important part of student life. We know athletes choose their school not only for their areas of study but for the opportunity to be part of a varsity sports team.
“We’re hopeful sports can come back in the new year. We’ll start having those discussions in the fall and hopefully making a decision by late October on starting up varsity and rec again the winter semester.”
Fall sports affected at Trent include field lacrosse, rowing, rugby and soccer. Affected Fleming sports include baseball, cross country running, golf, rugby and soccer.
The option of playing varsity sports without spectators, as professional sports are contemplating, wasn’t seriously considered, Dupret said.
“It’s not the same at the college level,” she said. “We don’t have access to the same type of facilities or medical staffing or testing.”
Whether or not it will lead to students withdrawing from school, Dupret said is hard to know.
“We’re going to continue to recruit students to come to the college and that includes student-athletes so that we’re prepared and do have the athletes here when varsity sports return,” Dupret said.
“It’s very difficult to say at this point in time whether that will be a deciding factor for students. I imagine for some students it’s very important for them.
“They’ve played sports actively through secondary school and also outside school in their home communities. It may be a reason for some students to wait but we’re still encouraging students to continue on with their post-secondary education.”
“I hope not,” said Bright-Brundle. “I think Trent and Trent Excalibur athletics still bring a lot to the table even though there might be a pause to their schedule.”
Excalibur teams have some momentum with improved competitive performances in recent years and she hopes athletes will remain engaged.
“The last five years we’ve really built on our history and we have great coaches and student-athletes. I think they’ll still see that benefit and really come and be a part of that development year.”
Coaches at Trent and Fleming are not full-time employees but are paid an honourarium. Fleming does not plan to retain coaches this fall, said Dupret. Bright-Brundle said Trent will keep its coaches on.
“We’re really focused on development now,” Bright-Brundle said.
“There will be opportunities as public health and government parameters allow, and with the direction of each national and provincial sport organization, to work with the coaches to develop return to train programs and protocols.
“We’ll take this opportunity to really look at those development and high-performance pathway objectives. Out of a very difficult and disappointing decision to not have any sports in the fall we’re going to turn that corner and look at development with our coaches and athletes whether they’re in Peterborough or virtually.
“We’re going to take it slow but if there are opportunities to return to train we’ll support that.”
Sports facilities at both Trent and Fleming, including the Trent Athletics Centre and Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre, remain closed indefinitely. Trent cancelled its Excalibur summer sports camps last week.
“As a fitness centre we have to follow public health guidelines,” Bright-Brundle said.
“We’ll be ready to reopen. I don’t know exactly what that will look like. It could open in phases and stages just like other businesses are opening slow. We have great support from the university for athletics and when we’re ready to open we’ll be there and ready.”
“We look forward to getting back in the gyms, on the fields, on the courts,” said Dupret, “and really being able to provide our students with that holistic experience they look forward to when they come to post-secondary. All the great stuff that happens outside the classroom.”