Update from the OLA!

ONTARIO LACROSSE ASSOCIATION COVID-19 UPDATE: MARCH 30

1 Concorde Gate, Suite 200-C Toronto, Ontario M3C 3N6 info@ontariolacrosse.com

As we continue to monitor the COVID-19 (coronavirus) situation, our main priority remains the
safety and well-being of the Ontario lacrosse community; its dedicated players, coaches, officials, volunteers, parents, fans and partners that we serve each year at this time. Many of you have reached out to share your thoughts and concerns over the last three weeks, and we thank you for maintaining your passion for lacrosse throughout this challenging situation. Without a doubt, this is an unprecedented period of difficulty for everyone in the sports world and beyond. We pause to think of and give thanks to our health care professionals and essential services employees who work each day to keep us safe, many of whom are members of our sport.

We are truly inspired by the overwhelming number of amazing social media pictures and videos that our members and associations have shared since March 13th. Since our last update, we have heard you loud and clear: your sticks are in your hands and you are looking forward to the 2020 season. We are too! Thank you for sharing your love of lacrosse with the social media world – let’s keep the momentum for Canada’s National Summer Sport going strong!

With that momentum in mind, we recognize the tremendous efforts that have been put forth by our leagues, associations and participants in preparing for the 2020 season. Out of an abundance of caution and based on the best knowledge available to us, we determined that it was in the best interest of the health and safety of all Canadians for us to pause all sanctioned in-person lacrosse activities (try-outs, training sessions, scrimmages, practices, games, etc.) from March 13th through until April 5th, 2020. As we draw nearer to that end date, it has become evident that the postponement of all in-person lacrosse activities will necessarily extend until at least May 15th, pending further provincial directives and updates.

I can assure you that we are actively engaged in designing Return-To-Play plans based on multiple scenarios so that we are prepared as soon as we are given guidance that it is safe and appropriate to begin the 2020 season. At this time, we have communicated to the Ontario Minor Field Lacrosse League (OMFLL) comissioner that all spring minor field competition will be postponed until the fall, with the details of each division to be determined in the near future. For our remaining sectors and divisions, we are in the midst of reviewing potential schedule options with our Board of Directors, league commissioners, and Team Ontario program coordinators. In all of our planning, we continue to closely follow the guidance and direction of our leaders, including the Ontario Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Culture and Tourism Industries, the Province of Ontario, the Ontario Ministry of Health, and the Public Health Agency of Canada.

The dates and locations of all remaining coaching certification clinics and referee certification clinics will be rescheduled by the OLA and subject to any legal directives from the Province of Ontario regarding permission to gather in public spaces and related safety protocol. Where a situation arises that has not been accounted for, the OLA’s Board of Directors will make a determination on the most appropriate course of action and communicate it to the membership via www.ontariolacrosse.com.

We appreciate your continued patience and flexibility as we work to deliver lacrosse to our players, coaches, officials, volunteers and fans in 2020. Up-to-date risk assessment information and other resources published by the Canadian government related to COVID-19 can be found here. The Ontario Lacrosse Association reminds everyone to consider good hygienic practices and safe contact in order to maintain a healthy environment. We are grateful for your understanding and your desire to begin the 2020 season with us as soon as it is safe to do so.

On behalf of the OLA’s Board of Governors, stay safe.

M. Ladouceur

Marion Ladouceur OLA President

March 30, 2020