Organizing the National Hockey League bubbles was probably easier than what minor hockey organizations like the Cowichan Valley Minor Hockey Association have been facing to become operational for the 2020-21 season.

The CVMHA utilizes ice primarily at the Fuller Lake and Duncan arenas, but also at Lake Cowichan. The season started in earnest on Sept. 8 with 26 teams in divisions across the age spectrum from five to 21 doing a lot of practicing so far in anticipation of the possible return of game action.

B次元官网网址淓ach of the teams is getting two ice sessions a week and theyB次元官网网址檙e full ice sessions,B次元官网网址� explained CVMHA executive administrator Kathy Irving.

B次元官网网址淥ur coaches have to be really creative in keeping these kids occupied on the ice.B次元官网网址�

But itB次元官网网址檚 already taken a lot just to get to this point, with much more that needs to happen before trying to put games together again can even be considered.

Practice and development, B次元官网网址渢hatB次元官网网址檚 all we can do right now,B次元官网网址� conceded Irving. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 in meetings with the arenas trying to figure out how we can pull off games.B次元官网网址�

COVID protocols at the arenas and in keeping with provincial health orders are making the hockey environment complicated. Continual cleaning thatB次元官网网址檚 putting extra demands on arena staff and minimal use of facilities such as change rooms are just the beginning.

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The Fuller Lake Arena change rooms just opened up again on Monday for players to put on skates, rather than in the warm room, but are still not available for shower use.

Players all must arrive with their equipment already on, other than skates, and some leeway is being granted for goaltenders and their bulky gear. Only 10 players can be in one dressing room at any one time at Fuller Lake to maintain social distancing and as few as six in Duncan.

Players enter on the top level at Fuller Lake and exit from the lower level.

Each arena has different return to play requirements, Irving noted.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a very different season, but at least we got our kids on the ice,B次元官网网址� she said.

The kids, particularly in the Under 9 age level that has skaters as young as five, are their usual exuberant selves despite the circumstances. Everyone would love to be playing games, of course, but itB次元官网网址檚 just not possible right now.

ThereB次元官网网址檚 extra demands even before the kids get into the arena and strict measures are undertaken to ensure the numbers in the building do not exceed 50. That doesnB次元官网网址檛 allow too much space for parents by the time you consider players, staff and team coaches.

B次元官网网址淓very one of our teams has a COVID team host that greets them at the door,B次元官网网址� Irving indicated.

The parent volunteers have to keep meticulous track of how many are entering the building and complete a contact tracing list to be held onto for 30 days.

B次元官网网址淭he team host is instrumental in the workings of it,B次元官网网址� noted Irving. B次元官网网址淚t takes a lot of volunteers to pull this off. Big shout out to the volunteers. We needed them in the past, but even more now.B次元官网网址�

Seating is arranged at Fuller Lake and parents must sit in the designated area. There often isnB次元官网网址檛 enough room to also accommodate grandparents which is disappointing to many of them who look forward to watching the kids play hockey.

While all this is going on, coaches wanting to assist with teams still need to go through several courses and some of that is being converted to virtual this year. ItB次元官网网址檚 a big undertaking for them just to volunteer their time.

The Vancouver Island Amateur Hockey Association is providing continual direction and wonB次元官网网址檛 be releasing anything about cohort schedules until everybodyB次元官网网址檚 schedules come in while B次元官网网址淏C Hockey is releasing all sorts of information all the time,B次元官网网址� Irving added.

Cohorts for Cowichan Valley teams, once established, might include Nanaimo teams but that would probably be the extent of any travel.

IrvingB次元官网网址檚 job, already quite complicated in a normal season, now includes being the COVID communications officer.

B次元官网网址淚nteresting season is a good way to describe it,B次元官网网址� she sighed.

Meanwhile, the Thanksgiving weekend would have been the annual Cowichan Valley Memorial Midget C Tournament at Fuller Lake Arena. The tournament honours families brought together by the deaths of young hockey players over the years from tragic circumstances.

Related: Memorable weekend of hockey and camaraderie in Chemainus, Duncan

The tournament was originally held at the end of the season in March. When that was cancelled this year at the start of COVID restrictions, tournament organizer Irving and her large committee thought theyB次元官网网址檇 move it to the start of the next season in October, something that had been contemplated for some time. COVID hasnB次元官网网址檛 allowed that to happen, either.

B次元官网网址淲ho could have forecast this would go on this long?B次元官网网址� pondered Irving. B次元官网网址淲e kind of came up with a plan we really thought would work. We thought by moving to Thanksgiving weB次元官网网址檇 be good to go.

B次元官网网址淩ealistically, weB次元官网网址檒l be trying for next Thanksgiving.B次元官网网址�

It is with B次元官网网址渉eavy heartsB次元官网网址�, Irving added, that the decision was made to cancel again because the families involved look so forward to the event all year as a memorial to their loved ones.