While the reopening of outdoor recreational amenities drummed up excitement for some in Ontario, it left a sour taste in the mouths of many local sports teams, who have been forced to wait on the sidelines.
Kimia Assa has been dribbling a soccer ball since she was three years old. Now 12, she says she can’t remember her last game.
“I don’t get the chance to see my teammates and get on a soccer field and practice with my coaches,” said Assa, a player with the Pickering FC.
So Assa’s been kicking the ball with her dad a couple times a week at a field close to their home.
“We needed that time to go out not only for the mental health, the physical activity, but keeping their skills sharp, too,” said Kamilou Assa, Kimia’s father.
It’s still going to be a couple of weeks before Assa can reunite with her teammates.
Matthew Greenwood, executive director for the Pickering Football Club, is eyeing June 14 as the day the program can return in a limited capacity.
“When they get to the field they sanitize their hands, they keep their mask on until they get to the field and then when they get to the field into their private training zone, then they take the mask off, they get their ball out and they do their individual training,” said Greenwood.
Right now, the province is set to remain in each step of its three-pronged reopening plan for 21 days.
In a statement from the province, the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture says, “In Step Two, further expanding outdoor activities and resuming limited indoor services with small numbers of people where face coverings are worn and with other restrictions in place, will be permitted.
“This includes outdoor gatherings of up to 25 people for outdoor sports and leagues. More information for each step of the Roadmap is being developed and will be shared in the coming days and weeks.
“We continue to actively have discussions with sport and recreation stakeholders to understand their unique needs and to find a path forward. Enabling major sport events and leagues to safely return-to-play in Ontario is an important milestone to rebuilding the province’s social and economic wellbeing.”
Greenwood hopes they’ll be able to start game play when step two comes into effect.
“It’s been a huge blow. Our numbers from a recreational perspective were on a steady decline prior to the pandemic and now we’re looking at a real mountain — a real Everest — to try and turn around and get all of our recreational players back out on the field,” said Greenwood.
“We are ready to go when the green light goes,” said Ken Babcock, Baseball Oshawa President.
Babcock needed time to digest the details which were released last week.
“We have to plan knowing that, step one, we can practice, and step two, it says sports and leagues are open to resume,” said Babcock.
He says last summer they showed that baseball could safely return across Ontario.
“There were zero cases attributed to organized baseball and we believe the same precautions put in place last year will serve everyone well,” said Babcock.
As for Kimia Assa, she’s itching to compete again — sooner rather than later.