The hockey season is still on hold and the male and female AAA under-18 leagues have now officially hit a pause button on their league schedule.
Last week a joint statement was issued by Blaine Stork, president of the Sask. female under-18 league, and Lloyd Friesen, president of the male under-18 league.
According to that statement, the two AAA leagues have unanimously passed this motion:
"Due to the ongoing pandemic and health restrictions, the SFU18AAHL and SMU18AAAHL league schedules will be postponed indefinitely. If pubic health measures allow for a return to game play at any time, the Executive of each League will meet and review game play options for any teams that wish to continue."
According to the statement, this will allow each team to postpone all local team activities or continue with a team roster skill directed program, provide the option for players to return home if they so choose, and provide billets the option to continue to host players if they so choose.
In the wake of that announcement, members of the female AAA league put out a video voicing support for a return to play and advocating for the benefits of holding a hockey season.
Battlefords AAA Sharks player Madison Glynn was one of the players featured on the video, in which she said with no games it means "little to no exposure to the graduating players for university and college teams, which also affects our mental health not knowing what's going to come next. And with having games it provides us an escape from all the other stress factors within our everyday lives."
This week, the province announced that the current public health measures, including the pause on competitive team sports, have been extended another three weeks and will stay in place to Feb. 19.
