SMLL cancels 2020 season

LNS Bulletin 4 COVID-19 Update
May 22, 2020
 
Lacrosse Nova Scotia is providing this update based on the information that we now have from our provincial public health officials and governing bodies.  Of paramount importance to everyone is the safety and well being of our athletes, coaches, officials, administrators and parents/fans.

Nova Scotia will soon be entering a phased approach to re-opening the province based on 7 criteria from the Public Health Agency of Canada. For the sport sector, this also means a phased in approach for sport that includes Return to Activity, Return to Sport and Return to Play. Return to Play is considered the point at which game play and competition can be resumed. 

The timeline of these phases will be very hard to predict and each will be separated by 28 days in order to help minimize and manage any future outbreaks or waves of recurrence. At this time, we are directing the cancellation of our spring/summer indoor box lacrosse season, normally held from April to July. Realistically, box lacrosse, being an indoor, contact, team sport, will be the most delayed in getting back to normalized play.

All sports, through their Provincial Sport Organizations, are being asked to submit restart plans to Public Heath, via Sport NS and our provincial sport managers.  These plans must conform to core personal public health measures. Your lacrosse leadership at the club, league and provincial level are working together on these plans so that we can reintroduce the sport that so many have come to enjoy. Our plans will take into consideration all lacrosse sectors, Box, Men’s Field and Women’s Field, youth to masters. Once our plans are approved, they will help ensure the safe resumption of organized lacrosse activities.

In the coming months, once approved, we will make more information available to our community on Return to Activity alternative programming and safe ways to introduce it, when facilities open.  We remain hopeful that this will happen over the course of the late summer and fall, particularly our field sector activities that take place on outdoor fields.  Stay tuned, as our plans will be creative, and we are committed to ensuring that the sport of lacrosse, Canada’s Official National Summer Sport, survives.