Kincardine minor soccer season cancelled

The Kincardine District Minor Soccer Club executive has announced that this year's soccer season has been cancelled, effective today (June 1).

In a press release, president Stuart Killin said it was a difficult decision.

“While it was our heartfelt intent to be able to field the beautiful game of soccer in some form this year, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has cast the final word on the decision, resulting in our move to cancellation,” he said.

For the past three months, the executive has been weighing options on how the game could be played, said Killin. Those options included, but were not limited to: playing a shortened season once fields were re-opened;  playing additional weekend games; holding a series of festivals; extending the season into October to allow for a complete season of games.

“As a club, we discussed each option, as well as how the timing of the lifting of field-use restrictions, physical-distancing protocols, and maximum number of participants, would affect player schedules, practice times, and the safety of our players, coaches, officials, and parents.

“We contacted other clubs to find out where they were in their planning process, and learned that a number of our area counterparts had also looked at options, but health concerns being of paramount importance, they decided to cancel their seasons altogether. Soccer is one of the heartbeat sports in our community, so the executive wanted to exhaust all possible options before making such a final decision, and we have now done so.”

Killin said that while it is true the field-use restrictions have been lifted in the Municipality of Kincardine, they have been opened with a maximum occupancy of five per field — four players and one coach.

“These restrictions align well with the expectations outlined by our governing body, the Ontario Soccer Association, which has indicated that the only sanctioned soccer activities to be organized at this time are conditioning drills and activities, again with the same maximum of five people per field,” he said.

“Given our numbers, this restriction was also an indication to us that a season, even a truncated one, could not proceed based on discussions with public health officials that indicate the maximum number of people participating in any outdoor events will not be raised in the near future, meaning that proceeding with a season of play would be premature at this time.

“We are now working with our associations, as well as our registration, insurance, and on-line registration providers to process refunds to all our members over the next 45-60 days. We also want our members to understand that while our bylaws indicate that refunds after registration are to be paid at 75 per cent of the original amount, we are working to get that number closer to 100 per cent; hence, the delay of the 45-60 days.

“We are working to get the fees refunded that have already been paid by the club in preparation for a 2020 season, and once we have final numbers calculated, the refunds will then be processed.

“Thank you for your support during this pandemic experience. While we are saddened at the loss of our 2020 season, the safety and well-being of the players, parents and officials is our paramount concern, and without the ability to ensure that, we have reluctantly cancelled this season. We hope you will join us in looking forward to the 2021 season.”