It’s my Parting Shot to talk about “mixed messages” in sports brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic…..
The latest example of this came yesterday when the Canada West University Conference voted to not hold the cross-country running championship…yet decided to go ahead with the golf and swimming events! Irregardless of whether this hurts Huskie Athletics…since they were supposed to host the Can West cross-country finals and don’t compete in golf and swimming…but allowing two sports to play, but cancel one is puzzling at best. I’m sure the Conference’s COVID-19 Task Force has a very logical, cerebral…and complicated…explanation for this!
A co-worker here at the Saskatoon Media Group told me that her daughter’s youth soccer team is not playing games and that their practices are three-on-three and restricted to a small area of the full pitch…meaning that a team is split up into at least two, if not three groups of six for skills development. Meanwhile, minor baseball and softball are playing games and practicing…albeit with a lot of physical distancing and sanitizing protocols needing to be adhered to. But, I scratch my head as to why soccer is holding back when compared to what’s happening on the ball diamonds. Again, I’m sure there’s a very logical, cerebral…and complicated…explanation!
The Saskatoon Amateur Softball Association is playing games in which the adults are allowed to slide into bases and there are tag plays at bases. Another co-worker tells me his young son is playing baseball games where sliding into bases and tag plays at bases isn’t allowed. Again, colour me puzzled by the difference! Again, I’m sure there’s a good, reasonable explanation!
Wait until the N-B-A, Major League Baseball and N-H-L start playing games and the general public is watching. I won’t be the only one confused by what’s going on and how those sports and leagues are approaching competition amid the pandemic! In the meantime, stay safe, wash your hands often for 20 seconds, stay six feet away from others and wear a mask when that isn’t possible. There’s no mixed message there!
That’s my Parting Shot, I’m Les Lazaruk…..
