The conference announced that the decision has been moved to Nov. 2 or sooner
Canada West has made the decision to delay their statement on second-term sports for 2021 until Nov. 2 or sooner. The conference announced on Friday of last week that they would take more time to decide whether or not to approve the sports for competition. This decision encompasses the entire conference, which has 17 schools competing in four provinces.
The extra 26 days will give departments time to strategize for any potential competition, during which the conference will strive to protect athletes and staff from the spread of COVID-19. UFV, TWU, and UBC’s athletic directors were vocal about the decision, citing the drive of their athletes as a primary factor in securing the postponement of the decision. The extra time allotted for the decision gives students hope that they might be able to compete in 2021 afterall.
So far, UFV has had no sports competition since the outbreak, except for golf, which is currently playing in the B.C. Rivalry Series. The Cascades golf team is scheduled to play in a number of events between now and the holidays, but those dates and events are subject to change due to COVID-19.
Steve Tuckwood, the director of UFV Athletics, commented on the situation: “I was not completely surprised by the move to November. I think all of the members want to ensure we have the most up-to-date information before making a decision. I have a call with all the other athletic directors on Thursday and will get more detail then.”
Tuckwood went on to explain: “With the work being put in by our student athletes, I think we owe it to them to be as thorough as possible in our evaluation of the season, and buying a month of time can only help.”
