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By Earl Seitz

TRU WolfPack

Latest provincial COVID mandates/impact on TRU Athletics

Aug 24, 2021 | 3:57 PM

KAMLOOPS —- Yesterday Dr. Bonnie Henry introduced a new order that B.C. residents will soon require proof of COVID-19 vaccination for a range of indoor activities, including sports venues.

Today B.C. re-introduced a public health order requiring mask wearing in all indoor public spaces province wide.

TRU WolfPack soccer will be among the first in any leagues to start up the fall and winter season.

The soccer teams are back in training with the season set to start in early September.

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Volleyball and basketball won’t be far behind.

After having all of the 2020-21 seasons cancelled because of COVID, WolfPack Athletics and Canada West are doing everything possible to make sure it doesn’t happen again in 2021-22.

However, themost recent provincial mandates will again have an impact on the way things are done.

“It does change a few things for us in terms of our planning.” says TRU Athletic Director and Canada West President Curtis Atkinson. “The priority for us is competition. We feel like we’re in a good spot for our athletes to continue competing — we just wish we could share it with people.”

While the hope was to make it a gala celebration for the soccer season openers on the evening of September 10th, it will now likely have to be done without fans

For athletes attending TRU and playing on any of the university varsity teams, the message is quite simple —- vaccinate, or vacate.

“Obviously now with the news of the last two days, it’s effectively a mandate now to be a varsity athlete, in order to enter facilities, athletic facilities, engage in high intensity training, you have to be vaccinated.

As for proof of vaccination requirements and the re-introduction of masking, Atkinson says for TRU and it’s athletics, it’s a move in the right direction.

“I think it’s the right decision. I think it’s the right way to go. I think it’s the best opportunity for us to have a season of sport, to have competition, and I think it actually brings a certain degree of consistency across the conference now with what we have seen across the four Canada West provinces.”

On the side of caution, the Canada West schedules for 2021-22 will see B.C. teams only playing against other B.C. teams — no out of province travel, until playoffs.