Melfort Special Olympics will wait a few more months to get activities such as bowling and curling going again (Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW Staff).

By Aaron Schulze

Special Olympics Pause

‘Fairly cautious again’: Melfort Special Olympics paused until 2021

Dec 2, 2020 | 5:00 PM

Melfort Special Olympics paused its sporting activities nearly as fast as they started.

The news of amateur and recreational sports being suspended following the Government of Saskatchewan’s latest COVID-19 related health restrictions was tough for Melfort Special Olympics to hear. The group was only able to resume bowling practice and was set to begin curling.

Carl Kruger, a coach with Melfort Special Olympics, said breaking the news to the athletes wasn’t pretty, but he and his fellow coaches don’t want to risk getting them sick.

“This is their way of getting out and meeting people… it’s hard for them not to be able to get out,” Kruger said. “It was a little sad for them but most of them are understanding. They’re quite knowledgeable, knowing this is the best for us.”

While the restrictions are only in effect until Dec. 17, Kruger said Melfort Special Olympics will pause its operations until January 2021.

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“We’re going to take it fairly cautious again,” he said. “We’re definitely hoping to get back at it in January to finish our bowling and get curling started. For now, it’s going to be our own practicing in our own rink. I can’t see anything for a while yet as far as competition outside.”

Kruger said the athletes and coaches felt safe resuming sporting activities again. For bowling, Melfort Special Olympics split the bowling groups into two– playing at separate times– and wore masks before they were mandatory in indoor spaces. He added that they would have no issues financially to start up sports again when safe to do so.

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aaron.schulze@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @SchulzePANow