Winter Is Coming: AUS Contemplates Return

Written by Drew McConnell

Thumbnail Photo by Atlantic University Sport

It seemed like a foregone conclusion, but it was still akin to a splash of cold water to the face when USPORTS, the governing body of university sports in Canada, announced that its national championships for the 2021 winter season had been cancelled. University men’s and women’s hockey, basketball, volleyball, swimming, track and field, and wrestling all had their national tournaments axed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Following consultations with the four conferences, we agreed that student-athlete safety remains our top priority,” said Interim Chief Executive Officer of USPORTS, Dick White in an October 15th press release. "It is not logistically possible for teams to be travelling across the country at this time. Therefore, USPORTS is in the unfortunate position where we are unable to offer the 2021 winter championships.”

This had to be expected – as Canada has entered the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. With ten different provinces offering their own independent health protocols, it simply made no sense to try and stage any sort of national event that required extensive interprovincial travel. However, there is some hope that we, in Atlantic Canada, may see some athletics this winter.  

On the same day that USPORTS made its announcement concerning national championships, Atlantic University Sports (AUS) made an announcement of its own – stating that they were forming a return-to-play committee, which would advise the AUS board of directors on how a possible return could look in the Winter of 2021.

“The committee’s recommendations will take into consideration each province’s current public health directives and, wherever possible, will include contingency plans which account for evolving government regulations,” read the press release. “The committee will focus its efforts on the areas of health and safety, financial accountability, and travel concerns, and will provide its recommendations to the AUS board of directors by early November.”

The relative success of “The Atlantic Bubble” at limiting the spread of the virus has afforded the AUS the luxury of even contemplating a return to play. This is at least a small step in the right direction, showing there is confidence that a degree of normalcy isn’t too far away.

According to Athletics and Recreation Director Scott Gray, Saint Mary’s has seven sports teams that have resumed on-campus training. This includes men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, hockey, track and field and cross country, soccer, women’s rugby, and men’s football. There are also two club teams that have resumed training on campus: cheerleading and field hockey.

All of a sudden, the on-campus training now takes on a new purpose – to get ready for a potential season with real games in the Winter 2021 term. There’s certainly room for cautious optimism, and it is most definitely welcomed, given that it is, in fact, 2020.

However, this is a fluid situation. As we’ve seen throughout this roller-coaster inside of a washing machine of a year, things can change on a dime. As of now, the AUS board of directors is set to make its decision sometime in mid-November. There’s a lot riding on this decision and it won’t be an easy one to make. First and foremost is the health and safety of everyone involved – especially of the athletes themselves.

Perhaps the AUS could look to major junior hockey in Atlantic Canada as a recipe for success. It’s been a little over a month since the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) dropped the puck on a new season. The results have been encouraging in Atlantic Canada due to the strict measures in place at the games - including mandatory masks and physical distancing. 

The Quebec teams were put on ice – figuratively speaking – after the Quebec government-designated various regions as “red zones” – which encompassed 12 of the 18 teams in the province. This halted play for a few weeks, as some teams grappled with positive COVID tests.

In Atlantic Canada, things have been substantially calmer. With the exception of the Moncton Wildcats being sidelined after an outbreak in Eastern New Brunswick, the Maritimes division of the QMJHL has gone on nearly flawlessly. Here in Halifax, the Mooseheads have done an exceptional job of mitigating risk and maximizing in-game experience as much as possible given the parameters.

And in the case of both the Mooseheads in Halifax and the Cape Breton Eagles in Sydney, a limited number of fans are permitted to enter the arena. And thus far, it’s been successful with no cases attributed to the attendance of games.

So, if nothing else, a blueprint exists on how to execute a safe return-to-play. Certainly, the situations are not completely parallel between the QMJHL and AUS, but university sports could most definitely learn from their strategy. It is highly likely that the return-to-play committee will examine those blueprints closely.

When the decision is rendered by the AUS board of directors, there is sure to be a lot of fingers crossed and bated breaths. But whatever that decision may be, let’s hope for the best and be cognizant of the bigger picture – that the measures we’ve taken to reduce COVID’s spread have allowed us to at least contemplate the return of university athletics. Remember the adage ‘you get out what you put in’? Student-athletes have put in a ton this fall, let’s hope they can get something out this winter.

Photo by CBC