The B.C. government has made a number of minor changes to COVID-19 restrictions on group sports that will again allow BCHL and WHL teams to practice together.
According to a statement from ViaSportBC on Monday (Dec. 28), “group sport” is now being defined as sport for those 22 years of age or older.
Before the changes, players aged 19 and older were not allowed to participate in practices with younger teammates who had been permitted to continue to train together.
Junior hockey teams like the Prince George Spruce Kings and Cougars consist of players aged 16 to 20.
Moving forward, adult “group sport” is only permitted for up to two people, such as a one-on-one training session. Outdoor group sport is only permitted in groups of up to four people (e.g. four individuals may run together or four individuals could run soccer drills).
“All participants must maintain a distance of three metres from one another while participating in the sport activity,” ViaSportBC said.
“While this order provides clarity, it is important to remember the intent is to limit group gathering. For example, individuals should not be playing a sport with four people and then switching teams to another group of four during the same time slot.”
Other exemptions and clarifications to the orders surrounding sports means individuals are now permitted to travel to their home club for the purpose of sport.
High performance athletes who have been identified to a targeted athlete list with the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific are also exempt and able to train, compete and travel for sport if they follow the COVID safety protocols of their respective provincial or national sport organization.
An exemption has also been created for intercollegiate varsity sports. Individuals of any age may participate in varsity sport if they are a member of a varsity sport team and they only train or practice with the post-secondary institution with which they are enrolled.
Those teams must follow COVID-19 guidelines.
The public health order remains in place until Jan. 8, 2021, at which time government officials will determine if extensions or changes are required based on COVID-19 transmission data.
BREAKING: It’s now 22 years of age & older for B.C.’s public health order on adult indoor & outdoor sport bans, which remains in effect until Jan. 8. This means those aged 19, 20 & 21 can practice with their teams | #CityOfPG @PGMatters https://t.co/XpLVAlPZqy
— Kyle Balzer (@KyleBalzer) December 28, 2020
