For Cascades fans, athletes, and staff, the announcement by Canada West to return to conference play has been a long time coming. Over a year in the making, the decision has been made during Canada West’s AGM on May 4-5 to continue sports and athletics, since the COVID-19 pandemic had completely shut down sports since March of 2020. Many programs took their operations away from the court/field and started making a difference from their offices, signing new players and hiring new coaching staff. For Cascades fans returning to the gym to watch their squad compete, they will notice completely new teams.
Canada West’s decision, tentative for now, will be supported by a regional format for scheduling throughout the year. Teams will be competing provincially, only meeting other teams during national tournaments such as the playoffs. The decision also has conditions, such as the fact that all schools will still need clearance from their administrations and the province to compete in Canada West. Assuming UFV can continue to uphold their COVID-19 safety standards, the Cascades are set to debut sometime this fall.
Other notable changes are the much-awaited transitions of the volleyball programs from Pacwest to Canada West, a move that should see the Cascades volleyball squads play the best competition in the country.
