Covid-19 and rec/minor hockey

Aces89

Registered User
Apr 22, 2020
166
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Still able to play here in Ontario. So much so were even hosting a small, 11 player, 6 team tournament at the end of the month!


 

Yukon Joe

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Aug 3, 2011
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Hockey Alberta makes it official - winter minor hockey season has been cancelled. Although the province is slowly opening things up a little bit, youth sports outside of school would only be open at the earliest for March 1 (and even that is far from a guarantee). Season ends at the end of March, so they decided they had just run out of time.
 

Ozz

Registered User
Oct 25, 2009
9,459
673
Hockeytown
While some open rec rinks have been open all along, mine finally re-opened last week. They require masks everywhere at all times, and while playing unless you're a goalie. I picked up one of those cage-mount masks and it's almost not even noticeable. I don't wear a cage (tried with this, hated it, took it off) but I was able to attach it to my ear/chin straps just fine.
 

Yukon Joe

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Aug 3, 2011
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Hockey Alberta makes it official - winter minor hockey season has been cancelled. Although the province is slowly opening things up a little bit, youth sports outside of school would only be open at the earliest for March 1 (and even that is far from a guarantee). Season ends at the end of March, so they decided they had just run out of time.

So I posted this last Wednesday.

On Saturday though the province announces that youth sports (including hockey) can commence in two days - Monday. You are limited to only 10 people (including coaches) on the ice at a time.

The province had not discussed this with anyone. All the hockey leagues and clubs were stunned, and are now scrambling to try and figure out what to do. Hockey teams of course invariably have more than 10 players.

Personally, I went and got my kids skates sharpened after using outdoor rinks several times. I up-sized some of the kids gear I have quite the collection of different sizes, so didn't need to buy anything), and now we're waiting...
 

Yukon Joe

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Aug 3, 2011
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So my oldest - the team had a lot of money in the bank account from an early season cash-call, and an opportunity came up to book 12 hours of ice time over the next 4 weeks. Plus the once per week camp he was in is starting up again on Friday.

So from doing not a whole heck of a lot of physical exercise the last 3 months he's going to be out there 5 times per week for the rest of the month, starting tonight. I'd almost feel sorry for him if he wasn't excited to get back out there. Plus we still haven't heard back about his team's regular ice times.
 

Aces89

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Apr 22, 2020
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First game back in 2.5 months thanks to the arenas being shut down for 7 weeks in Ontario
 

Aces89

Registered User
Apr 22, 2020
166
79
After two and a half months off, we’re able to play back to back Sundays
 

Yukon Joe

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Aug 3, 2011
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Yesterday (March 22) was the day the province had previously announced they would decide whether or not to further open up - which potentially meant actual hockey games for the kids (they've been practicing non-stop for the last two months).

The announcement was - no change. Because the hockey season ordinarily would have ended by the end of the month it looks like all hockey clubs are just calling it a season. We got emails about refunds today.

Now we're hoping my oldest can at least get his spring hockey season. They're already looking at back-loading it to mostly May and June.
 

ChuckLefley

Registered User
Jan 5, 2016
1,665
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My son played a full season, though we didn’t do any out of town tournaments and won a state championship. I just played my first game since last August as leagues have started again.
 

Aces89

Registered User
Apr 22, 2020
166
79
Ontario stay at home order till May 20th prompted the town of Napanee to take the ice out early so our season is done. Here’s some fails and bloopers
 
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Yukon Joe

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Aug 3, 2011
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So my kid started practicing with his spring team. In Mid-march things looked quite hopeful that actual hockey games would be allowed.

But then the variant-driven third wave hit. Hockey (and indeed any indoors athletic activity) is prohibited again.
 

Yukon Joe

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Aug 3, 2011
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My kid hits the ice on Friday as many sports restrictions dropped in Alberta. They're already planning a July tournament just to try to make up for a solid year of no hockey games.
 

beedee

Registered User
Jan 13, 2014
752
1,070
SoCal beer leaguer checking in.

My first team is on week 4 of games (but they never shut down :eek: ).

And my second team's first game is 6/23 (they did shut their network of rinks down and are starting league play up next week). Taking our little one to her first skating class this evening where I play on my second team.
 

Yukon Joe

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Aug 3, 2011
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And my rec league team has a game scheduled for Sunday! :o

It'll be our first game since November 2. First time I've seen those guys since then.

At least my kids got some practices in in February-March (and I got on the ice as an assistant coach).
 
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tarheelhockey

Offside Review Specialist
Feb 12, 2010
84,981
137,353
Bojangles Parking Lot
We're basically back to normal now in NC. We had been playing the past few months with nominal COVID protocols (expanded dressing rooms, no guests, no hanging out after games, etc) and that has all been dropped at this point.

I can't think of anything that's still different from pre-pandemic, other than that guys don't seem to spit water as much.
 

BruinDust

Registered User
Aug 2, 2005
24,281
21,610
We're basically back to normal now in NC. We had been playing the past few months with nominal COVID protocols (expanded dressing rooms, no guests, no hanging out after games, etc) and that has all been dropped at this point.

I can't think of anything that's still different from pre-pandemic, other than that guys don't seem to spit water as much.

If there is one protocol I'd like to see kept is the expanded dressing rooms (well in our case you now get two rooms for your booking instead of just one). Who doesn't like having more room to operate while strapping on the gear.
 

tarheelhockey

Offside Review Specialist
Feb 12, 2010
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If there is one protocol I'd like to see kept is the expanded dressing rooms (well in our case you now get two rooms for your booking instead of just one). Who doesn't like having more room to operate while strapping on the gear.

That was exactly my thought the first time we went back to the normal rooms. I had gotten used to having some actual breathing room and not sitting practically on top of people’s gear.
 

beedee

Registered User
Jan 13, 2014
752
1,070
That was exactly my thought the first time we went back to the normal rooms. I had gotten used to having some actual breathing room and not sitting practically on top of people’s gear.
Yup!

One of the rinks I play at has a 8 player max per locker room sign taped to the doors. They have a handful of seats spaced outside the lockerrom as well.
 

tarheelhockey

Offside Review Specialist
Feb 12, 2010
84,981
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Yup!

One of the rinks I play at has a 8 player max per locker room sign taped to the doors. They have a handful of seats spaced outside the lockerrom as well.

At my rink they converted the "birthday party" rooms into dressing rooms by taking out the tables and putting chairs along the walls 6 feet apart with the middle of the room empty. I guess that's what it's like being in the NHL with those huge spaces to spread out, and everyone facing each other and bonding before and after the game.

Going back into the tiny little broom-closet locker rooms was like getting dropped straight from the NHL back to your house rec league all at once. :laugh:
 
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ChuckLefley

Registered User
Jan 5, 2016
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Was back on the ice last night. Dressing rooms were back to normal - so cramped. Fantastic to see all the guys though.

My "skills" weren't too badly degraded, but my fitness sure was. I was just gassed by the end.
I’ve seen this from many people who play sports and just people in general. We just had almost 18 months where you couldn’t do much and worked from home, how hard was it to workout? Run, walk, push-ups, sit-ups, body weight strength stuff take no equipment or special gyms.
 

Yukon Joe

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Aug 3, 2011
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I’ve seen this from many people who play sports and just people in general. We just had almost 18 months where you couldn’t do much and worked from home, how hard was it to workout? Run, walk, push-ups, sit-ups, body weight strength stuff take no equipment or special gyms.

Well, yeah.

Hockey is fun - working out is not. So the last few years I've relied on regular hockey (both mine and coaching my kids) as my exercise. Which worked fine until Covid blew it all to hell.

If you or anyone else was able to stave off that kind of decline by keeping fit and active during lockdowns - well you're a better person than I.
 
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Dubi Doo

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Aug 27, 2008
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12,692
I’ve seen this from many people who play sports and just people in general. We just had almost 18 months where you couldn’t do much and worked from home, how hard was it to workout? Run, walk, push-ups, sit-ups, body weight strength stuff take no equipment or special gyms.
I've been working out from home during the pandemic. I've kept myself in good shape. I will say, though- even when I was working out at the gym- the first few games of hockey still wiped me out. I don't know if it's the cardio or just the muscles used are different, but damn- it takes me a couple of games to get back into shape.
 

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