Austin Coyle practices at McArthur Island on his own. He's disappointed the baseball season has been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

COVID-19

Kamloops minor sports shutting down under COVID-19 restrictions, unknown when seasons will begin

Mar 17, 2020 | 6:25 PM

KAMLOOPS — Austin Coyle is doing all he can, hitting balls on the diamond by himself. The Kamloops Minor Baseball Association (KMBA) has suspended all baseball activity and delayed the beginning of the season.

“It’s hard because I play baseball as much as I can, and the fact we’re not going to be able to get on the field with all my friends, all my teammates, it’s going to suck,” said Coyle. “I’m going to have to find something else to do to keep myself phyiscally active.”

The association is following the lead of Baseball BC and doesn’t anticipate the season to start until at least early summer.

“I think we’re looking [at] June and beyond for even thinking about coming back to the field,” said KMBA President Chris Balison. “The way we, as an association, are taking social distancing protocols serious. You can’t keep people six feet away in a dugout or when doing clinics or lessons. We really have a social responsibility to follow those protocols.”

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Coyle, a member of the Midget AAA Kamloops Riverdogs, says not playing will impact his development. He has aspirations one day to play college baseball.

“I’m going to have to spend a lot of time lifting weights because I’m not going to be able to get out here and throw the ball around and taking my swings,” said Coyle. “The season was just starting up. This is my time usually where I get going and ready for the season.”

The Kamloops Youth Soccer Association (KYSA) is facing the same situation with a postponed of all pre-season practices and uncertainty when the soccer season will begin.

“We haven’t really looked at a timeline at this point. We’re monitoring the situation day-by-day as things progress. We’re still hopeful that we’ll get a spring season in. What that looks like, we have yet to determine,” said KYSA President Missy Cederholm.

The coronavirus outbreak is forcing the Kamloops Track and Field Club (KTTC) to cancel seven of its events with gatherings of more than 50 people banned.

“We’ve got Relay Fest coming inside TCC on [April 1st] that was cancelled. The Northwest Zones and the Okanagans [are cancelled]. BC High School Sports has indicated that everything has been cancelled – no one can practice anymore to be on the safe side,” said KTTC President Judy Armstrong. “Those have an effect on us, as well as our local meet, the Dylan Armstrong [Track Classic], which is a BC Summer Games qualifier this year.”

Armstrong says it will mean the club is out upwards of $100,000.

Meantime, Coyle will continue to practice on his own until given the green light to play. He hopes COVID-19 will subside, so he can continue doing what he loves.