Well, it looks like we can take a break for about a month until we hear from SCAHA/CAHA about their guess as to how to proceed with tryouts and next fall. I for one am hoping they keep things "drive-able local", as indoor sports (let alone cold and damp ones) are high contagion risk activities to begin with. Fortunately we historically have had enough teams to accomplish this.
Travel: As the greatest concentration of infections was and is clearly in the northeast and mid-west, interest in travel to those hockey hotbeds will remain zero for many. Really, any amount of airline travel will be quite complicated (few schedule options, more health checks, etc.). How many of us are not doing airline travel this Summer during the time which this virus will be seasonally recedent? Going further, even 7 hour long bus rides between Norcal and Socal will increase the possibility of infection dramatically. So, the liabilities of "team contagion" aside, who would be willing to commit to a costly 7 month season where you not only have a good chance of another schedule stoppage but further don't have opt out control on the required travel? Unfortunately, for now, this is the temporary real situation. And for those thinking of going out of state (again), same is true there.
In times of uncertainty like this pandemic, sometimes the payoff is just not worth the risk. We have managed to successfully work and school from home. A single season of local only games will be just fine as well and has the added benefit of financial support for the local rinks budgets. The game is great no matter where you play it.
(PS: Please feel free to face wash, as I will then know you read this.)
This is post is worth quoting so that it does not get lost in the political back and forth. Nowhearthis expresses many of my concerns about tier or even high school hockey this season.
I would be interested in the views of other hockey parents about how they are assessing the risk especially the risks related to tier hockey and the travel. I wonder if some of the programs and teams may gear back their travel this year?
For tier 1, it might be boring to play the same teams repeatedly but maybe that makes sense at least until 2021 and late in the season if things improve related to the virus.
Will players be required to be tested? How often? Will they be required to wear face masks and is that even feasible in an aerobic sport like hockey? Will arenas mandate masks and social distancing and is the later even feasible? How will locker rooms be cleaned and how often?
What questions should CAHA and SCAHA be considering when making decisions?
Have any clubs tried to assess parent concerns and input? Which clubs and how?
Politics should have little relevance to these questions but maybe not.