The province of Ontario remains in the third stage of its three-stage COVID-19 reopening plan. Now the Ontario provincial government has announced that all further reopening will be paused because of a recent rise in infections.
With the OHL set to open camp soon but without announcing a schedule, the GOJHL has published a potential scheduling timeline. Other leagues have published schedules that now with the continued closure of the United States border will have to be changed. Some leagues have not published schedules at all.
It is nearing the end of August now. Let that sink in for a minute.
It is the end of August and still no firm words on what will and what will not be allowed in Ontario. Anyone having confidence that Ontario will have a normal hockey season this year is simply blind or delusional.
While things look pretty good in Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland, Ontario and British Columbia do not look as stable.
When Chatham-Kent’s medical officer of health, Dr. David Colby, said he can’t loosen the province’s rules on crowd sizes, but he can make them stricter.
“Local health units will not have any discretion to relax those provincial standards,” he said, “but if I see a gap, especially if I notice that there are cases that are attributable to hockey, then I have the ability within the jurisdiction of Chatham-Kent to be able to enforce more stringent rules and regulations.”
Statements like these tell you all you need to know. Common sense has been a much better guide to decision making about hockey than anything any medical officers or provinces have done or said.
It is once again time to have a backup plan, and if you don’t see a schedule, or light at the end of the tunnel at the end of August, its time to activate that plan.
If you are an 18, 19 or 20 year old player, it is time to think of yourself. All the team loyalty in the world will not get back another lost or partially lost season. It is time to protect yourself.
Now I know my friends in the NOJHL, CCHL, OJHL, GOJHL and SIJHL aren’t going to like this being said. I am sorry that the Ontario government cant see a way to separate some of you from the major metro areas. But this is life.
Its time to make sure players can have their seasons. Its time to make sure you get the best opportunity possible to have a safe and complete season. In the end, this is your journey, put yourself back in control of it.
Joseph Kolodziej – Adviser
