COCHRANE— Calling on the province to let youth play sports, a group of concerned Cochranites took the streets of the town on Sunday (Feb. 7) during the Let Them Play walk.
The rally was one of many taking place across the province. The goal of the protest was to implore the province to let youth play team sports during the COVID-19 pandemic, said organizer Mike Cann.
“There’s got to be a way that the government of the province can allow, mostly kids, to get back to their sports and activities,” Cann said. “They're missing that sense of team and community.”
Cann and a group of about 30 concerned parents, youth and athletes trekked from Cochrane Arena to the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre in temperatures below -30C to bring attention to their concerns.
Physical, mental and social well-being is essential, Cann said, and he hopes to see the province find a way to balance COVID-19 public health measures with allowing the community to engage in sports safely.
He added he is concerned youth are bearing the brunt of COVID-19 public health measures.
Cann has three children who are 12, 10 and eight. The trio misses their typical sports activities, he said, which include hockey and figure skating.
“I don’t think anybody here is asking for full-on back to games against other communities and cities. But, there’s got to be a way,” Cann said. “When you practice with teams, you’re getting the team concept and that's the big part— The sense of community and team.”
He called the provincial government's recent announcement to ease sports team restrictions a “step in the right direction,” but wants to see a clearer path forward for players to once again hit the ice.
The province announced Saturday (Feb. 6) limited school and minor sport training would be allowed during Step 1 of Alberta's four-step framework to ease public health restrictions.
Starting Monday (Feb. 8) youth are allowed to participate in lessons, practices and conditioning activities for indoor and outdoor team minor sports and athletics. Games will not be allowed.
A maximum of 10 individuals, including coaches, trainers and participants, can play, and all participants in these activities must be 18 years old or younger, excluding coaches or trainers. Players must be physically distanced from each other at all times, and masks are required at all times except when engaged in physical activity.
Coaches and trainers are required to wear a mask at all times.
“It’s less than 10 [players], every hockey team has more than 10 players. So, you’re still cutting the team in half,” Cann said. “Hockey Alberta still hasn’t made a decision to let us come back.”
He noted COVID-19 and its associated health measures have proven to be a polarizing issue, but the rally drew people from all spectrums together with the united goal of letting youth play sports.
“There’s people here today that are at different ends of it, but we’ve all agreed on this one point— That the kids need this,” Cann said.
His daughter Mackenzie Cann, 12, has been figure skating since she was seven-years-old. It has been difficult not being able to participate in the sport she loves during COVID-19.
“Sports should start up again. It’s made such a big impact on me not having anything to do,” Mackenzie said. “I miss it a lot.”
It has been a challenging year as a competitive figure skater because for the past year she has been unable to attend any competitions.
She worries about her future a lot, she said, and the lasting impact the virus and its associated public health restrictions will have on her life.
“It’s hard not having anything to look forward to. It’s not a good feeling,” Mackenzie said.
Chad Leugner was inspired to help organize the Let Them Play walk to bring the community together and talk about the effects of the COVID-19 public health measures on youth in the province.
“We just wanted to show the kids in the community and the parents and the families in the community are wanting to get out,” Leugner said. “We lost our sense of community during these times. It’s very difficult for a lot of people.”
The event not only served to support Let Them Play, but offered the chance for families to reconnect and experience some fresh air and physical exercise while reconnecting with the community.
The cancellations of team sports have effects that ripple out into the community, he added, including on organizations and committees that have put countless time and effort into supporting local sports.
“We just want to get kids out,” Leugner said. “I’ve talked with a lot of families and people are struggling.”
Sports are an important experience for youth and serve to aid in team building, leadership experience, community connections, physical activity and social well-being.
Leugner is the father of two girls aged eight and 10 who love to play hockey. The duo miss being able to hit the ice with their friends and play competitively.
He said he was excited by the provincial government’s announcement Saturday (Feb. 6) that a limited form of team play would be possible.
The ultimate hope, Leugner said, is to see the province find a way to balance the health risks of COVID-19 while allowing people to find ways to stay physically active.
People understand the province is facing difficult times, Leugner said, but he would like to see increased consistency in how public health measures are managed. It is challenging understanding what the future of youth sports will look like, he added, because at times it has been difficult to nail down what the rules will be.
“Having a little bit more constancy around it all would be nice for people to try and get a bit of a game plan to make it work,” Leugner said.
Dwayne Cann said he chose to walk in the Let Them Play rally in the hopes it would encourage the province to allow team sports to take place.
It is frustrating to watch the effects of the health measures on his grandchildren, he said, because they are in the same boat as him— Wanting to get out and play sports with their friends.
He hopes people will push the government to allow teams of all ages to play.
“We still play seniors men hockey and I want to see our guys back on the ice as well,” Cann said. “If we miss a year for our age group, we’re probably not going to have guys come back.”
Cann wants the government to be clearer on rules for sports and does not appreciate how it has been engaging in flip-flopping on public health measures rules and easements.
For him, Cann said, the bottom line is the need to get youth out playing and socializing once again.
“It’s a lifelong skill and a lifelong game,” Cann said.
