Page 21 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 91

www.sportsenergynews.com Issue #91 August 2020 21

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OHA – Full Hockey and Academic season
it offers. The exterior of this vehicle
has a jaw-dropping effect - and once s always, Ontario Hockey Academy an abundance of caution. Therefore, until lo-
cal health officials notify the public that it is
you sit inside it, it just keeps getting A(OHA) is focused on student success
better!” but, in this time of pandemic, success means safe to meet in public groups, students will be
If you are a small family, Berthiaume something more than academic excellence sequestered on campus.
and high-caliber hockey. For the 2020-2021 There will be no visitors or student trips into
says that the Rogue is the perfect
academic year, the Academy is committed to the community, but students will be able to
vehicle for you. It is available in all- socialize with their peers, attend classes, and
keeping the students in our care healthy, happy,
wheel drive for those winters that we’re travel around campus. Our amazing teaching
and – despite these challenging circumstances
all so familiar with. And, speaking of – as excited about learning as ever! staff will use plexiglass barriers in class, face
winter, the remote engine start system shields, and social distancing when outside of
and heated seats will be sure to keep OHA director, Giles Lascelle has heard from the classroom. We hope this more normalized
you and your family warm! many parents who are worried about the qual- atmosphere will keep excellence in learning
ity of education their children will receive at the forefront of what we do.
“The Rogue’s overall spacious from the hybrid (online and in-class) learning
interior makes it practical for those model that public schools will be following. The Academy is waiting for direction from
Hockey Canada before we consider playing
trips to practice or the big game at In contrast, the Academy’s full-time in-class teams outside of our family cohort; but not to
the Benson Center,” says Berthiaume. academics will take advantage of its status worry - OHA runs eight teams. Our coaches
“The overall comfort, as well as all of as a boarding school, with smaller class sizes will be improving player fitness and tech-
the included standard safety features (average of 15 students), and will operate the nique in preparation for the start of the sea-
and latest innovative technologies Academy as a family cohort. son. Our players will be ready!
The OHA operating model will follow the lead
make this one of our top sellers. Come Stay well and, when it is safe to do soa, we
see for yourself!” Gabrielle Davidson-Adams of the Province of Ontario and the EOHU and look forward to seeing you at a Mavericks
Committed HARVARD University will implement any re-opening process with game!

Sports Panel
presents

Question: The federal government recently turned down a request by the Toronto Blue Jays to allow teams to enter

Canada to play games in Toronto with relaxed quarantine guidelines. Do you think this was the right decision?

Gilles Gaudet - Sports Enthusiast - Based on how the U.S. has dropped the ball in dealing with COVID-19 (pun intended), Canada really
had no choice in the decision to ban MLB games in Toronto. With the recent spike in cases south of our border, and Donald Trump’s
unwillingness or inability to put forth a national plan to deal with the virus, our government made a prudent judgment. The influx of MLB
teams coming to Canada in the next few months would have potentially exposed our citizens to the virus. That, along with the Jays travelling
back and forth to the U.S. to play, would have further increased the risk of exposure.
So now the Jays will shuffle off to Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, or some other place to play out the 60-game season. The upside of this
is there will be no fans in the stands, so the Jays players shouldn’t lose out on the so called “home field advantage”. With a young and
exciting team, it would be great to see the Jays get off to a fast start and make a playoff run. The government stated this week that if the
Blue Jays make the playoffs, they will re-visit the possibility of the Toronto club hosting at the Rogers Center. The playoffs are scheduled to
start on September 29th, so that gives Trump 2 months to get the COVID crisis in order, so that we can allow travel between the countries.
Considering his abysmal track record in handling the virus, the Vegas odds on this happening are probably a million to one!

Jake Lapierre - Conditioning Coach - The federal government recently turned down a request by the Toronto Blue Jays to allow teams to
enter Canada to play games in Toronto with relaxed quarantine guidelines. Do you think this was the right decision?
In my opinion, Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino and the Federal Government did make the right decision in denying the Toronto Blue
Jays’ request to host home games at Toronto’s Rogers Centre against MLB teams from the US.
The MLB’s pandemic plan to protect players, teams, and event staff certainly didn’t meet minimum standards. The risks far outweighed any
expected benefits. Columnist Chris Henderson summed the situation up nicely stating, “With the proposal including other MLB teams having
to cross the border on a timely schedule, and some of them coming from COVID-19 hotspots in the United States, it was a plan that just didn’t
work for the government. With the way that the league has bungled testing so far, it’s hard to blame them.”
It’s an unfortunate circumstance for the Jays, but I’ll continue to support and enjoy watching the guys play.
Read Chris Henderson’s column @
https://jaysjournal.com/2020/07/20/blue-jays-lets-get-something-clear-non-jays-fans/ .

Jim Riddell - Seaway Karate Club - The Federal Government recently denied the Toronto Blue Jays request for exception from self-isolation
rules which require anyone entering the country to quarantine for 14 days. Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino stated, “Cross-border
travel required for MLB regular season play would not adequately protect Canadians health and safety.” This development will mean that
the Blue Jays will play their home games out of Shalen Field, home of their Triple A affiliate team in Buffalo, NY or in Dunedin, Florida
at the team’s spring training facility. COVID-19 is still surging in the USA and in the 30-day period prior to this decision, a daily record of
new cases was established on nine occasions. Mendicino’s decision was the proper one to make, one that was based on advice from medical
professionals with the intent of keeping Canadians safe.