Sudbury's Rainbow Board plans to bring back some high school sports this fall

The Rainbow District School Board in Sudbury is expected to be one of the first boards in Ontario to bring back some high school sports this fall.

It's a bold move that's well worth the effort, says Dave Makela, athletic administrator for the Sudbury District Secondary Schools Athletic Association.

"These programs mean a lot to students and this helps bring a sense of normalcy to their lives," he said.

"Healthy physical activity is its own benefit, but there's also a mental aspect to all of this as well. And we're cognizant of that. And I am so very happy that we're able to get back on some type of sports track, for as long as we're able to do it."

Makela said the situation is "very fluid," and new information that comes out every day.

"We're constantly checking for new protocols. There's lots of challenges and there's lots of ways where people can be critical and maybe this can fall down, but it's all worth it. It's all worth it to be making this effort." 

Coaches are meeting this week about resuming sports like girls football, boys volleyball, cross-country running and golf. As early as next week some games could be underway. The Sudbury health unit has agreed to support the return to gameplay for any sport that has gotten the approval of its provincial sport organization.

"But there are a lot of protocols that we have to follow in the interim," Makela said.

Each sport has a long list of health unit-ordered protocols.

"So, for example, for golf, it will mean no shotgun start. So we'll have to go with assigned tee times. It'll mean physical distancing wherever possible. No high fives, no spitting, no hugs, no group picks, no gathering."

As for flag football, Makela says there isn't enough prolonged intentional contact to be a prohibiting factor. But, "things are still tentative."

'Coaches stepping forward'

Makela says the Rainbow board is the only school board that has lent its support to high school sports so far. 

"I'm in direct contact with athletic administrators across the province and I'm only aware of two other associations that are actively pursuing any level of sport for sport activity at this time. And I believe one is in Hamilton and the other's in Thunder Bay," he said.

"They're in different stages of organization. I don't think they're as far along the curve as we are, but they are certainly pursuing some level of full sport programming."

Makela says he thinks that Sudbury "is a great sports town," and community support is key to bringing back some high school sports.

"I think most people understand that COVID not something to be complacent about, but our risks in the north are somewhat mitigated by the fact that we're a little bit more spread out than other areas and we have great volunteers who will advocate on behalf of students," he said.

"And we're so happy to see a group of coaches stepping forward to coach for all sports teams, as some of them have done for over 30 years."