Over the last few weeks, many of those have been answered. And it appears the news is nothing but good given the situation.
Registration numbers are actually higher for the most part. The Tier teams have been selected and players are going through house league evaluations throughout the Thanksgiving weekend. And when all is said and done, there will be plenty of hockey played in Moose Jaw this winter, however different it may be.
“I think kids are excited to get back on the ice, there’s not a lot to do in the fall and winter time, and the numbers are up, which is nice to see,” said MJMHA president Chris Flanagan. “The excitement is there for everyone to get out there, and after this weekend, all of our teams will be selected and will be hitting the ice for practices.”
Registration is slightly down in the younger age groups, but that’s been made up for in the older classes, including the U18 division, which will feature a ‘B’ team for the first time in several years. Female hockey is also on the rise, with plenty of girls lacing up the skates for the new season.
Once things get going, the plan is to focus on practice and development for the time being. That’s the usual idea for most organizations as the pandemic continues.
“We’re going at the same pace as we normally do with minor hockey, none of our games would start until the middle of November, so we’ll provide them with development opportunities and practices for the next while until we have a clearer picture of how things will look,” Flanagan said.
“Not moving straight into a season is providing some extra opportunities when it comes to that sort of thing. We’ve been working hard on securing some extra development opportunities for the kids, and hope to have an announcement that way soon.”
When it comes to actual games, there are still plenty of questions to be answered. The Saskatchewan Hockey Association is working on plans in that direction, and an announcement could come soon.
There are some ideas as to how things might look, such as mini bubble leagues with three teams each and reduced rosters to keep things under the government-mandated 50-person limit. That’s yet to be finalized, of course, but could be how things shake out.
“Essentially that means three teams can practice and play together for a three-week period, then there will be a two-week isolation period and they’d go back into a new bubble with new teams,” Flanagan explained.
As for out-of-town play, there are far more questions than answers, but the SHA again hopes to have answers soon.
“Out of town play is a no-go for right now, but I have a lot of confidence in Kelly McClintock and the SHA board of directors, they’ve put together a great proposal moving forward for the government, so we just need to wait and see what happens in the next week or so,” Flanagan said.
There is some good news -- as of last week, spectators are allowed in arenas, up to a maximum of 30. And Moose Jaw Minor Hockey plans to do all it can to keep people as safe as possible.
“We want everybody to be safe in the rinks,” Flanagan said. “If you can’t properly social distance make sure you wear a mask and make sure to follow all protocols from the city and Moose Jaw Minor Hockey.
“We’re quite grateful to be back on the ice and moving forward in a positive way and we want to make sure we do everything we can to keep things going in that direction.”
For more information on Moose Jaw Minor Hockey, including COVID-19 protocols and other information, be sure to follow them on Facebook and visit their website at www.moosejawminorhockey.com.
