The MMHA is just one of many minor hockey assocations across the country that has been shut down because of COVID-19 concerns.
Hockey Canada came down with the decision late last week, with CEO Tom Renney issuing the following statement:
“Without question, this an unprecedented period of difficulty for the sports world. The health and safety of all participants in sport, including players, coaches, staff, officials, fans, family, volunteers and the general public, is of the utmost importance to Hockey Canada.”
MMHA President Peter Schmid told The Herald that B.C. Hockey has asked associations to basically hold no sanctioned events where there is more than a handful of kids.
He also reiterated that all dates have been postponed, and not necessarily cancelled.
“In the instance of our boys from Merritt going to Provincials, the official word is that it’s postponed. But, logistically, it’s hard to replan. You can’t just say, ‘okay, let’s go ahead and do it this weekend.’ And you also can’t say, ‘let’s go ahead and do it in six weeks,’ because who knows where we will be with this six weeks from now.”
Schmid said it is his belief that minor hockey will be done for the year. Compliance with whatever decision Hockey Canada and B.C. Hockey comes down with will be necessary.
“That’s just my gut feeling.”
Schmid added that the unprecedented nature of such a shutdown is what is leading to much speculation and an unknown future.
“It’s a matter of just not having so many people in an arena, not just the players, but parents, friends.I get that, that there should not be such large groups coming together. For example, our Provincials that were supposed to be in Kelowna, you’ve got five teams, 110 kids all coming, so at any given time, that’s a lot of people in the arena.”
