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.

乌鸦传媒淥ur reality is that school sport is going to look different in the fall,乌鸦传媒� wrote BCSS executive director Jordan Abney. 乌鸦传媒淗aving our traditional celebrated provincial championships is going to be unlikely in most, if not all sports.乌鸦传媒�

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乌鸦传媒檚 return-to-school plan, which is expected in mid-to-late August.

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乌鸦传媒淲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.乌鸦传媒�

Unlike B.C. Rugby乌鸦传媒檚 back to rugby, Abney乌鸦传媒檚 release was short on details. However, Abney did hint at what might be coming.

乌鸦传媒淲e will focus on fall sports to begin with, and evaluate the risk factors and modifications required to make school sport viable,乌鸦传媒� he wrote. 乌鸦传媒淚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.乌鸦传媒�

Abney explained many factors are currently out of BCSS乌鸦传媒檚 control right now.

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The release, , also acknowledged the colossal duress students have come under during the pandemic of 2020.

乌鸦传媒淲e recognize the massive importance of co-curricular activities such as school sport to the mental and physical health of the students,乌鸦传媒� wrote Abney. 乌鸦传媒淚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.乌鸦传媒�

Abney called these red flags and added they represent the dangerous reality students are living in without access to school and school sport.

乌鸦传媒淏CSS has a responsibility to ensure we bring back as much sport and normalcy as we can to support their well-being,乌鸦传媒� Abney noted. 乌鸦传媒淲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.乌鸦传媒�

The release, sent to all member-school principals, athletic directors, superintendents, high school sport commissioners, and others, also highlighted the 乌鸦传媒済reat significance乌鸦传媒� high school sports play in the school community and greater community.

乌鸦传媒淲e have been receiving pressure from parents and coaches encouraging us to push the boundaries of the guidelines,乌鸦传媒� Abney revealed. 乌鸦传媒淲e understand the frustration that comes with the current restrictions and urgency for clarity of what our realities will be in September.乌鸦传媒�

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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乌鸦传媒攚hich means there are still a bunch of limitations on what organized sporting groups can do.

乌鸦传媒淲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,乌鸦传媒� 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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