Athletics preparing for various scenarios
One month from what was scheduled to be the start of the Ontario Lacrosse Association, St. Catharines Athletics general manager Jeff Chcoski is still uncertain when, or even if, there will be a junior A season.
The A’s were slated to open the 2020 season May 15 at Orangeville, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, everything is on hold.
“We would have started some runs to be ready to go full at it in about a week,” Chcoski said.
Chcoski said the A’s are holding out hope some sort of season will be played. He and A’s president Paul Coates have been in constant contact with the league discussing various scenarios.
“We talk to the governors in our league on a weekly basis and there is not one governor who does not want the league to go this year,” Chcoski said. “Everyone wants some sort of a league, whether it’s a 10 game or a six game and then into the playoffs. We have probably 10 scenarios in play now and as it goes by weekly, hourly, by the minute, we are changing our scenarios.
“We’re definitely not sitting back pretending this is not a real thing. It is a real thing, but we also want to make sure we are covering all our bases. We just have to have these scenarios in place so when they do come to us, this is what we’re willing to do.”
Chcoski said the A’s are well aware the decision may be made for them.
“It could come from an higher authority, the CLA (Canadian Lacrosse Association), the Ontario government, from the OHA (Ontario Health Agency).”
There are several others factors to consider as well.
“You can’t even start talking about a league until the referees decide it’s OK. There is also insurance. There are so many things involved here it’s crazy,” Chcoski said.
He has had intermittent contact with the team.
“I don’t want to give them a false sense of security,” he said. “I am just trying to be honest with them that we are in conversation. We’re definitely putting everything into place to make sure we are covering all our bases if there is a chance for us to have a go, we’ll have a go with it.”
The A’s are also slated to host the Minto Cup this August.
“We are working behind the scenes weekly to come up with every case scenario to try and make this happen this year with this being such a monstrous situation with the Minto Cup and the Canada Games,” he said. “You have to have a season and if B.C. cancels their season (as an example), how does that work? You can’t put the cart ahead of the horse.”
There will many questions should the season be cancelled.
“Do we get it (Minto Cup) next year? And how does it work with the Summer Games (scheduled for August, 2021) and how does it work with your 20-year-olds? The NCAA is letting their 20-year-olds come back and play. Would they get another year? There is so much to this it is almost overwhelming.
“We’re just trying to breathe and take it all in to make sure we cover all our bases.”
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