Game plan almost set... if sports resume on university campuses

U of A athletes could compete in new formats U of A athletes have been given the go ahead for new competition formats when it is safe to begin. CTV News Edmonton’s Adam Cook reports.

EDMONTON — The Canada West Athletic Association, which includes schools like the University of Alberta, issued a new plan that may allow athletes to compete if sports return.

The CanWest board of directors approved new formats and schedules for regular season games in response to the ongoing pandemic.

Overall, there will be fewer games in a shorter period of time, and less travel for Universities that have less funding for athletics.

“Nobody gets excited or happy about having to reduce sports opportunities, but at the end of the day, we’ve also heard that decisions that we’ve made around the formats, for one year, have likely preserved sport opportunities on some campuses,” said CW president Clint Hamilton.

The plan is seen has a move in the right direction by Scott Edwards who has coached the Pandas basketball team for 14 years.

“I think our athletes have been wondering for weeks what’s going on, so it was just nice to hear anything really,” said Edwards.

Teams will travel less and play more regional games, potentially leading to heightened rivalries.

“I think this is the best case for all of us right now and stay a little more regional and maybe some more interesting rivalries come out of this too,” Edwards told CTV News.

As the search for a vaccine continues, officials face difficult questions, as they do in all sports. Primarily, how to allow athletes to play physical sports and stay safe?

“When you think about how the virus is transmitted, these are all considerations and learnings frankly that we’re going to have to apply,” said Hamilton.

However, if sports return to campuses, the condensed schedules would likely lead to intense competition.

“If a schedule were to go forward...it would be a reason for every fan to want to be there, because the stakes are going to be high with each game,” added Hamilton.