With more and more of the hockey season slipping away, at least one junior A team in B.C. is pleading with public health officials for a chance to play.
Junior hockey is on hold as current COVID-19 health and safety guidelines prevent adults from practising and playing games. The B.C. Hockey League recently announced that it , and is investigating the option of , possibly Penticton.
In the meantime, the Nanaimo Clippers are appealing to politicians and public health officials to reconsider or adjust guidelines to accommodate junior hockey.
Clippers owner Wes Mussio pointed to the team鈥檚 18-game exhibition season this past fall, which he said was safe and socially distanced and resulted in no COVID-19 exposure.
鈥淵et Dr. Bonnie Henry decided to shut us down on no evidence or science,鈥� Mussio said in a press release. 鈥淪imply put, this decision is hard to understand.鈥�
He added that players鈥� aspirations of moving on to college and pro hockey are being 鈥渟everely compromised鈥� and that the outlook is bleak for players in their final year of junior eligibility.
鈥淚 doubt anyone can argue, in good conscience, that destroying careers of young [athletes] is perfectly acceptable for the greater good,鈥� Mussio said.
Darren Naylor, coach and general manager of the Clippers, agreed that the 鈥渓ockdowns鈥� on sports are 鈥渃atastrophic鈥� to athletes. He said junior hockey shouldn鈥檛 have the same pandemic restrictions as men鈥檚 league hockey, for example.
鈥淲e are a very professional, high-level training program where the players act like pros and do not run around going to parties and bars socializing,鈥� Naylor said in the release. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e very committed and realize minimizing exposure to the public is the safest way to ensure a season.鈥�
The Clippers shared copies of letters sent by No. 1 goalie Jordan Naylor and veteran defenceman Trevor LeDonne to Nanaimo MLA Sheila Malcolmson, pleading for her help in asking for reconsideration of the provincial health order banning adults from team sport participation.
鈥淲ithout being able to practise or compete and prove myself deserving of a scholarship, I feel my dream slipping away,鈥� Jordan Naylor wrote. 鈥淎s a 20-year-old, I have no more time. It鈥檚 now or never for me.鈥�
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Mussio also wrote to Malcolmson requesting her support in reconsideration of that particular public health order, as well as asking for financial support from the province. He said in the release that the hockey club is losing 鈥渉undreds of thousands of dollars this year鈥� and predicts junior A hockey franchises will fold in 2021.
He added that smaller communities like Nanaimo are harmed without the 鈥渏oy鈥� that hockey games bring.
鈥淚鈥檝e heard from many hockey fans that coming to a Clippers game is the highlight of their week and without hockey, their mental health is declining,鈥� Mussio said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 blame them because this is our national sport and not being able to enjoy it is a tremendous sacrifice.鈥�
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