By Ty Gour
On Wednesday March 11, the NBA rocked the sporting world with the announcement of the immediate suspension of their season following Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert’s positive COVID-19 diagnosis.
With this news came a domino effect across the sporting world with leagues thrown into a state of uncertainty.
The news of the major sports leagues suspending seasons also rippled to smaller leagues around Canada such as the ACAC.
The women’s hockey team was looking to erase a 2-0 deficit in their best-of-five championship series against the MacEwan Griffins, and the men were set to take on their polytechnic rivals, SAIT, in the semifinal.
The men’s and women’s curling teams were competing in nationals out in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba while decisions were being made.
On March 13, the ACAC announced that they were suspending their seasons for the time being through a statement released by commissioner Mark Kosak.
Kosak said that they were adhering to the health policies put in place by the government as well as looking at what other leagues were doing.
“Like everyone else, we’re taking it one day at a time, we want to make sure everyone is safe and healthy. This is bigger than ACAC Athletics,” said Kosak in the release.
On March 16, the ACAC released a statement that delivered finality to the rest of the championship schedule.
“In light of recent announcements related to the COVID-19 situation issued from Alberta Health, Alberta Advanced Education as well as Provincial and National Sport Organization partners, the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference is declaring the cancellation of the remainder of the 2019-20 ACAC season. This impacts the ACAC sports of Futsal, Indoor Track and Women’s and Men’s Hockey.”
On a positive note, the Canadian Collegiate Athletics Association (CCAA) decided to continue with curling nationals.
The Ooks men’s team fell to the Fanshawe Falcons 12-5 in the bronze medal match to claim fourth place. Lead John Ritchie and second Nicholas Duivernood were named as second team all-stars as the women finished fifth and lead Nicole Sawiak was named second team all-star.
