Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

YOUTH SPORTS & COVID--19

YOUTH SPORTS & COVID-19: The social side of sports

Mar 10, 2022 | 4:14 PM

KAMLOOPS — A lot is made of the physical benefits of sports or the idea that sports build character. However, for many, it’s the social aspect of sports participation that keeps athletes involved beyond their childhood and adolescent years.

In the third part of a series on youth sports and COVID-19, CFJC Today examines the impact the pandemic has on the social connections these young athletes rely on.

Special Olympics is about so much more than just sport. Possibly more important than the physical benefits of participation are the mental and social benefits. For local organizers, it’s a huge part of their mandate.

“Usually we have a Halloween party and a bowling party, a Christmas dinner. All those extra events that are all part of Special Olympics Kamloops,” Les Andreykew explains. “Those have all been curtailed because of what’s been happening with COVID.”

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For the athletes, the loss of competition also means more than just missing some games. There’s a greater aspect of Special Olympics that these folks lose.

“That’s been my favourite part from the beginning,” Josh Trudell says. “Meeting different, awesome athletes from all across BC and different places. Playing against them and getting to know them. Just building that bond.”

“Friendships — making friendships. That’s probably the best thing about the tournaments,” Ty Flukinger says.

Ty Flukinger makes a pass to a teammate at Special Olympics Basketball. – Image Credit: CFJC Today

Flukinger was a member of Team BC that brought home a gold medal from the 2018 Canada Summer Special Olympics in Nova Scotia. She has fond memories of meeting new friends from all over the country at those games. However, she knows that’s why events like those haven’t been taking place.

“Very social events, so that’s why they’ve had to limit the tournaments and sports the past two years — because of how COVID has affected everyone,” Flukinger explains.

That loss of social interaction has been felt keenly across most sports over the past two years. Athletes have missed out on opportunities to travel with teammates.

“I feel like we’ve missed out on a lot of team bonding opportunities,” Kiana Kaczur, Grade 10 basketball player from SKSS says. “You all come together when your travel and spend all those hours together.”

“We don’t get to hang out as much outside of hockey anymore. It’s like our only bonding time as a team,” Alli Plowe, U13 rep hockey player explains. “Missing out on tournaments really impacts that.”

Even when you’re spending time with your teammates, restrictions around COVID-19 have changed those interactions.

Image Credit: CFJC Today

“The conversations in the change room are a lot different because of COVID,” Emilia Luckinchuk, another rep hockey player, adds. “You can’t be, like, not wearing your mask and having them off. It can bring less conversation.”

Peter Soberlak is a former pro hockey player who has a Master’s degree in exercise psychology and teaches at TRU. He recognizes that it would have been easy for athletes and coaches to get discouraged over the pandemic.

“Anyone involved with athletes, whether you’re a coach or a sports psychologist, or working with young people, I think it’s really paramount that you have a positive focus on things,” Soberlak says. “Really make sure that you’re making the most of each day.”

Les Andreykew identified that staying positive early on in the pandemic would help keep his athletes going, even through so much uncertainty.

“We try to work with [the athletes] as much as possible to ensure they stay up and ensure they remain happy with what they’re doing, and remain competitive, and enjoy being here,” Andreykew explains. “I’m really lucky — I’ve got eight coaches, which is really unusual when we’ve only got 22 athletes signed up. I’ve got a really high ratio of coaches against athletes, so that really makes a difference, when we can do a lot of one-on-one with our athletes.”