Although the future is still uncertain for high school sports in B.C., the governing body recently released some hopeful news.
In a press release, BC School Sports said they are working on a detailed return-to-sport plan for each fall sport.
鈥淥ur reality is that school sport is going to look different in the fall,鈥� wrote BCSS executive director Jordan Abney. 鈥淗aving our traditional celebrated provincial championships is going to be unlikely in most, if not all sports.鈥�
Abney said BCSS is trying to get its return-to-sport plan together by early August, but they will wait to release it until after they hear the Ministry of Education鈥檚 return-to-school plan, which is expected in mid-to-late August.
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鈥淲e know that the football programs around the province are preparing for a return on August 24 for their traditional two-weeks of pre-season camp, and our football commission has already done a tremendous amount of work preparing to safely do this.鈥�
Unlike B.C. Rugby鈥檚 back to rugby, Abney鈥檚 release was short on details. However, Abney did hint at what might be coming.
鈥淲e will focus on fall sports to begin with, and evaluate the risk factors and modifications required to make school sport viable,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淚n some sports, this may mean access to some localized competition. In other sports, this may mean being limited to training and only in a very controlled setting.鈥�
Abney explained many factors are currently out of BCSS鈥檚 control right now.
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The release, , also acknowledged the colossal duress students have come under during the pandemic of 2020.
鈥淲e recognize the massive importance of co-curricular activities such as school sport to the mental and physical health of the students,鈥� wrote Abney. 鈥淚n recent weeks, there have been studies published noting the significant decline in the mental health of students in the absence of normalized education and specifically the lack of co-curricular engagement over the past four months.鈥�
Abney called these red flags and added they represent the dangerous reality students are living in without access to school and school sport.
鈥淏CSS has a responsibility to ensure we bring back as much sport and normalcy as we can to support their well-being,鈥� Abney noted. 鈥淲e remain committed to this while also acknowledging that we will not sacrifice the health and well-being of our student-athletes, coaches, officials and administrators.鈥�
The release, sent to all member-school principals, athletic directors, superintendents, high school sport commissioners, and others, also highlighted the 鈥済reat significance鈥� high school sports play in the school community and greater community.
鈥淲e have been receiving pressure from parents and coaches encouraging us to push the boundaries of the guidelines,鈥� Abney revealed. 鈥淲e understand the frustration that comes with the current restrictions and urgency for clarity of what our realities will be in September.鈥�
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Abney noted that while the province is currently in Phase 3 of its reopening plan, sports are still spinning in Phase 2鈥攚hich means there are still a bunch of limitations on what organized sporting groups can do.
鈥淲hile BCSS is an independent organization, we will be using the guidelines and direction from the Provincial Health Officer in conjunction with the return-to-sport guidelines from the provincial government as the foundation for our return-to-sport plan,鈥� Abney wrote.
BC School Sports governs more than 90,000 student athletes in more than 450 schools. They oversee 62 provincial championships in 19 sports.
editor@cloverdalereporter.com
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