(Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW Staff)

By Mat Barrett

COVID-19 and the SJHL

SJHL teams react in different ways to hockey pause

Nov 26, 2020 | 5:41 PM

There has been a variety of responses to the provincial government’s curbs on sports to help stem the spread of the coronavirus. With hockey effectively now on pause until after the Christmas break, teams across the region reacted with a combination of resignation, sarcasm, frustration, and appreciation for all those impacted by these difficult times.

Part of the new restrictions means a temporary end of play for the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, which prompted a number of comments.

A number of teams posted to their various Twitter accounts to let fans know what was happening. Some teams did so with a little more colour commentary than others, like the Nipawin Hawks.

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“Coach Johnson is taking the Hawks to the bar and the casinos tonight and in the future cause the government shut down hockey,” the tweet read.

It drew plenty of traction on Twitter and some criticism.

“Joke or not, a hockey team for teenagers shouldn’t tweet this,” and “we can file that away as a bad tweet,” were among the reactions.

One person responded: “Meanwhile I worry about my life and COVID. I am a mommy to two young girls and am also high risk due to a heart defect I was born with,” the tweet read. “Have fun increasing the spread of COVID…… I will try to explain kindness and protecting others in our society again to my daughters tonight.”

However, some accounts also took the tweet as a joke and found some humor in it. One said: “apparently a lot of people who don’t get the sarcasm” and “my coach in Junior used to dress in full equipment for practice and take runs at guys behind the net. Never once took us to a bar. Jealous.”

One Junior B club in Alberta responded to the Hawks’ tweet with: “we are on our way to join you.”

The team sent out another tweet a while later saying there was a hidden meaning behind their initial tweet and they’re “sorry to all who missed the sarcasm.”

A number of other teams had different approaches to the news. Teams said the season would be put on hold and they thanked their sponsors, billets, fans, and volunteers for their hard work during the season.

The SJHL said in a post to their website that they’ll work with the government and health authority to resume after Christmas.

“Once the SJHL receives direction from Saskatchewan government and Saskatchewan Health as to when we can commence play an announcement will be made,” the statement read.

The SJHL did have games scheduled on Dec. 18 and 19, but won’t be playing those games, even if restrictions are lifted by Dec. 17.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6