With the provincial government extending pandemic restrictions until Feb. 19, that likely means high school athletes won’t be participating in any extracurricular activities until the early spring.
The news isn’t promising, because based on a recent meeting with government officials. The likelihood of sports returning is unlikely to occur until the end of March, Sean Chase, director of education for Holy Trinity Catholic School Division, told trustees during their recent board of education meeting.
The restrictions particularly affect schools that are members of the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletics Association (SHSAA), and locally, with the Moose Jaw High School Athletic Association since those bodies have to stay in tune with what’s happening.
In Holy Trinity, the extension of pandemic restrictions put on hold draft concept plans that Vanier Collegiate put together last month for what a return of extracurricular activities could have looked like in January.
“We simply are not sure that we would have any capacity to engage in any type of the most basic intramural sports,” said Chase.
Vanier has found alternate ways to keep youths engaged, particularly in drama.
“They’re working hard to find other ways to keep kids engaged, but in terms of athletics as we usually envision them at the elementary and high school level, that is more than likely to continue until we get to spring,” he added, “and (then) hope that transmission rates at that point will enable us to open up restrictions and reintegrate the idea of some of the extracurricular concepts.”
It is “very unfortunate” that students can’t participate in these activities, said Dave DePape, superintendent of human resources and operations. Staff has worked hard to keep students engaged and ensure youths don’t lose that spirit within them while also recognizing there is only so much they can do.
Finding new ways of keeping students motivated is important, agreed Ward Strueby, superintendent of learning. For the February board meeting, he planned to present exciting information about a new version of Battle of the Books throughout the division.
The next Holy Trinity board meeting is Monday, Feb. 8.
