A recent ruling from the Ministry of Education restricting school tournaments has BC School Sports frustrated but hopeful students will be allowed to participate in tournaments soon.
As of Feb. 1, child and youth club sports are allowed to resume tournment play. Fans are also allowed to watch indoor sports, unlike school-based games.
Athletes representing either a primary or secondary school are still not allowed to participate in their respective sports tournaments after intervention from the Ministry of Education prevented the revised health provincial orders from applying to schools.
It乌鸦传媒檚 a decision that had BC School Sports scratching their heads.
乌鸦传媒淭he Ministry of Education has their own guidelines that the schools are working under,乌鸦传媒� said Jordan Abney, the executive director of BC School Sports who spoke with the Penticton Western News. 乌鸦传媒淭here乌鸦传媒檚 some frustration there certainly.乌鸦传媒�
Abney has been meeting with the ministry regularly since it was decided school sports tournaments were still not permitted.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the situation remains on a week-to-week basis, according to the executive director.
乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檝e communicated with them why we think it乌鸦传媒檚 important this [ruling] changes,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e working with the ministry to see what comes in the next steps. We乌鸦传媒檙e hoping it changes as early as Friday (Feb.4).乌鸦传媒�
Late winter and into the spring is a significant period for school sports tournaments, Abney explained.
乌鸦传媒淎t the end of every season of play, there乌鸦传媒檚 a provincial championship and we乌鸦传媒檙e getting down to that point. Qualification for tournaments is starting to need to happen in the next week or two. So if there乌鸦传媒檚 any further delay it starts to put a real crunch on those events.乌鸦传媒�
Along with his recent conversations with the Ministry of Education, Abney has also been in regular contact with parents who are concerned about the status of school sports in B.C.
乌鸦传媒淭he response to this decision has been very loud and clear,乌鸦传媒� he stated. 乌鸦传媒淲hat it乌鸦传媒檚 done is demonstrate the significance and importance of high school sports in this province and how important they are to our schools and communities.
乌鸦传媒淭hat messaging has come through loud and clear in the last week from parents.乌鸦传媒�
While individual games are permitted to happen, tournaments are not. It乌鸦传媒檚 a decision that affects over 70,000 students across 19 different sports, according to BC School Sports乌鸦传媒� executive director.
Still, the governing body of school sports is hopeful the recent decision will be reversed.
乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檒l likely have some more clarity from the ministry on Friday (Feb. 4),乌鸦传媒� Abney said. 乌鸦传媒淭here乌鸦传媒檚 been good dialogue about the different factors and pieces that go into making a decision like this.
乌鸦传媒淚 wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 say I乌鸦传媒檓 optimistic but I乌鸦传媒檓 hopeful.乌鸦传媒�
logan.lockhart@pentictonwesternnews.com
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