Meadow Lake and District Area. (file photo/meadowlakeNOW Staff)

By Elliott Knopp

Meadow Lake Hockey

Meadow Lake Minor Hockey hopeful for games in early 2021

Dec 8, 2020 | 3:47 PM

While the local sports scene has come to a halt due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases, a local hockey organization is making sure its players are ready for the next time they see puck-drop.

With no games or full-team practices planned for the immediate future, the Meadow Lake Minor Hockey Association (MLMHA) is keeping its young athletes in shape by arranging smaller cohorts. These squads have been divided into groups of eight young athletes, while two coaches oversee the activity.

Jace Andersen, MLMHA President, said the new cohort arrangement has allowed a majority of the kids in the program have stayed active since the games were postponed.

“It took a little bit more planning, but we figured it out and we’re still rolling as far as we know,” Anderson said. “Hopefully the government doesn’t shut us down again.”

On November 19, the Government of Saskatchewan announced the implementation of more COVID-19 guidelines to reduce the number of rising cases across the province. An order for sports leagues to cease all practices and games was included in the set of guidelines.

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With the league coming to a standstill, Andersen and members of the MLMHA are eagerly waiting for the number of active cases in the province to decrease enough so that the club may resume activity after their meeting with the province on December 17.

“I’m speculating that there will be nothing until January,” she said. “I hope we can get some games in early January, but it all depends on our numbers.”

Anderson mentioned there hasn’t been a large number of kids choosing to opt out of the club for the year, but adds there are some who are waiting to see how things shake out before making their decision.

“Everybody is waiting until January to see what happens and if we can play games or not,” Anderson said. “As of right now, nobody is opting out because they are still hopeful that we can get playing.”

Until the club receives word on how to move forward in the new year, the kids will have to settle for skating around with their cohorts and keeping in good physical shape for the next period.

“They’re wanting to play games, of course, they’re kids,” Anderson said. “That’s what they want to do, and they want to engage in a hockey game. But overall, they’re all pretty happy to be doing something.”

The MLMHA currently has 19 teams spread across six age groups registered for the 2020-21 season.

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Elliott.Knopp@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @ElliottKnopp