ACAC explores sport delivery opportunities for Winter 2021

Posted On Monday October 19, 2020

 

ACAC Will Continue to Explore Sport Delivery Opportunities for Winter 2021

 

Edmonton, AB, October 16, 2020 – During a Special General Meeting on October 15, 2020, the ACAC Conference Council supported a recommendation from the ACAC’s Covid-19 Planning Task Force to continue exploring options to conduct a season of post-secondary athletics in Winter and Spring 2021.

The creation of a plan to safely deliver ACAC sport under strict AHS Return to Sport protocols was in development when revised and far less restrictive guidelines were unexpectedly released by AHS on October 15, 2020. The ACAC Conference Council agreed to endorse the Task Force’s planning efforts and further study the implications and opportunities facilitated by these new guidelines.

Agreement was also unanimous to withdraw the ACAC from participation in all 2021 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) National Championships. The health concerns and logistical complexities involved in pan-provincial travel for ACAC student-athletes and teams was determined to be an unnecessary and unwarranted risk under the current conditions of the pandemic. Furthermore, with the elimination of CCAA qualification deadlines, additional time has now been achieved to potentially conduct a modified ACAC season of play. The two ACAC host institutions of 2021 CCAA National Championships (Badminton at NAIT; Men’s Basketball at SAIT) understand and support this decision.

ACAC member institutions continue to maintain the prerogative to withdraw from 2020-21 ACAC sport competition at any time without penalty based upon campus and community circumstances.

The ACAC previously decided to cancel the Fall 2020 season of competition, and tentatively reschedule Fall sports (soccer, cross country running and golf) to Spring 2021. Two semester sports (basketball, volleyball, hockey) and Winter semester sports (badminton, curling, futsal, indoor track) were proposed for a condensed schedule in the Winter 2021 semester.

The ACAC reaffirms that any decisions to proceed with post-secondary sport in 2021 will be reached with the input of the Senior Administration at each ACAC campus, and under the advice of AHS. At no time will the ACAC compromise the health, safety and well-being of student-athletes, ACAC stakeholders and the community at large.

 

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For more information, contact:

 

Mark Kosak, CEO

(403) 875-7329; markk@acac.ab.ca

 

 

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