When the provincial government extended the provincewide stay-at-home order on Thursday, officials decided to keep the temporary ban on outdoor sports and activities, leaving many local youth feeling defeated.
Orillia Legion Minor Baseball (OLMB) player Teddy McCollum-Kuntz says not having sports for 15 months has been problematic for his mental health.
“Another summer without baseball and sports would crush me,” the 17-year-old said.
“Baseball for me is an escape, and in a time where I need an escape, I don’t have the option to get out and use sports to keep a positive mind.”
The Grade 12 Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School student is highly regarded by his teammates as a leader on and off the field, who always keeps a positive mindset. However, he admits he is losing that positive mindset under the weight of restrictions.
“Sports are a way for me to express myself, they are a way for me to help give to others, it gives a sense of community that is different from a school setting," he explained. "My teammates are my best friends and not having a chance to see them through all this can be really challenging.”
McCollum-Kuntz is currently preparing to attend the University of Western Ontario this fall where he hopes to earn a scholarship through trying out for the baseball team, but he worries his skills have diminished.
“I’m so out of shape right now. If I wanted to put my mind to it I could find ways to stay active and work out, but there is a difference between being strong and active and having a sense for the game, having the ability to play, and I need to be in the baseball environment and get the repetitions,” he said.
McCollum-Kuntz feels like his development has been stunted - not only as a player but as a person.
“The pandemic has definitely been challenging on communication skills and social interaction ... sports are a way for me to talk to people and connect with them on an emotional level, and if this continues for long enough then that aspect is going to be gone,” he said.
OLMB president Wes Winkel says he is worried for his players.
“There are people who need social interaction and physical exercise as a release for their mental health, and that is especially true for teenagers,” Winkel said.
“This has been a disaster for those kids who have worked their whole lives to excel at a sport and then when they become seniors in high school and are given the chance to excel at the highest level, they all of a sudden get robbed of that; it’s been a disaster.”
As other provinces and countries resume outdoor activities, Winkel fears Ontario’s youth are falling behind.
“Ontario is the only place where you can’t compete in outdoor sports, so all of our athletes are falling drastically behind the U.S. and provincial counterparts,” he said.
The most confusing part for Winkel and his players is that multiple health officials, including advisors from the Ontario Science Table, have recently publicly stated that outdoor activities are safe, and transmission outside is extremely rare.
“It’s quite puzzling that from a government standpoint we have not closed down workplaces, we have deemed that our commerce is more important than the mental health of our youth,” Winkel said.
OLMB is lobbying the province to allow outdoor sports to resume immediately. The organization has sent letters to the provincial government and the ministry of sport and have also signed multiple petitions on behalf of the baseball organization.
However, once outdoor sports are given the green light to resume, it must be at full capacity, Winkel says.
“We are concerned that an opening up is going to mean we can train or compete in small bubbles, but you still can’t compete against other centres or other teams,” he said.
“These kids in high-level sports have trained so they can compete, and they haven’t been able to for 20 months. The desire to train has gone down dramatically. I’ve had the kids ask me, ‘Coach, what exactly are we training for?'”
Orillia & District Soccer Club (ODSC) player Ava Cassar says life without soccer has been extremely difficult over the last 15 months.
“Soccer is something that has brought me together with friends and teammates, it’s something I’m passionate about. I miss it a lot,” the 13-year-old said.
“After a tough day at school with hard assignments, I used to be able to go out and kick a ball around to clear my mind, and now I can’t even do that.”
The Grade 8 St. Bernard’s Catholic School student says returning to the pitch this year is especially important as she prepares for high school.
“Grade 8 is a really important year because we are preparing for high school where I’ll have the opportunity to participate in high-level elite sports and hopefully earn a scholarship,” she said.
While Cassar is trying to remain optimistic that outdoor recreation sports will resume on June 2., she isn’t sure if she can trust the provincial government to do the right thing.
“One minute we hear there is a chance things will open up again and then the next minute we are hearing the lockdown is extended, it’s hard to keep getting our hopes up,” she said.
“I’m remaining hopeful because we really need to get there.”
ODSC board member John Copp says the current stay-at-home order has been especially hard on players mentally.
“This has been difficult on all players of all ages. They are really not happy with what’s going on; this is very upsetting for them,” he said.
Copp says the ban on sports has also been tough on club organizers who have worked tirelessly to get players back on the pitch safely.
“It’s difficult for the executive and organizers to wrap their heads around. The last time we talked, everybody was hopeful and excited, we thought there was a chance we would be able to resume, and that hope has all been taken away,” he said.
“A lot of fatigue is setting in now; we are now back into the waiting game.”
The ODSC has been lobbying the provincial government to open up outdoor sports through the Ontario Soccer Association, and has also reached out to local MPP’s, and have been working with the city, who Copp notes have been helpful.
Orillia Mayor Steve Clarke wants to see athletes of all ages return to the sports fields this summer. Clarke says he was hoping that Premier Doug Ford’s Thursday announcement would have included the re-opening of some outdoor activities that could be done safely.
“Some of these activities are so important for our physical wellbeing, and I think we are becoming more woke as to how important they are for our mental health too,” Clarke said.
Clarke hopes the decision to keep outdoor recreational activities off-limits was made based on data and science, and if so, he would like to see that data made public.
“We have a growing number of medical professionals that deem outdoor activities to be safe, and my understanding is being outdoors is many times safer than being indoors,” Clarke said.
Based on what Clarke has learned from health officials, he says he will be lobbying the provincial government to open outdoor spaces immediately.
“I will be reaching out to our MPP who has been wonderful to deal with during this whole pandemic,” he said.
With warm temperatures forecasted over the next few weeks while the stay-at-home order remains in effect, Clarke worries that some residents may begin to defy provincial orders.
“That is one of the reasons I was hoping some of the amenities would be open, so people could have that outlet. I know there is a pent-up demand, so I wish people could get out without feeling guilty,” he said.
“We need to have safe and clear guidelines on how we can resume outdoor activities, but those guidelines aren’t there if the activities aren’t authorized, so I think it would be even safer if it was authorized."
Amenities being closed has been tough on the city’s budget, as each month that sports fields were closed last year, it cost the city $31,000 in revenue, noted the mayor.
“The loss of revenue is a significant consideration, but health and safety is our No. 1 priority and we want to give people the ability to get out and exercise because that is also a health and safety issue,” Clarke said.
“We hope the province moves sooner than later to re-open some outdoor spaces with safe and clear guidelines, I strongly encourage them to do that.”
Simcoe North MPP Jill Dunlop said she understands athletes' frustration.
“I understand the disappointment felt by the extension of the stay-at-home orders, but I support the decision made," Dunlop said in an emailed statement.
"The extension and restrictions are critical at this time to ensure that we don’t undo the great work we have put in to ensure we stop the spread of COVID-19," she said.
"I hear what the community is saying and am hopeful the next announcement will find us in a better position to enjoy our outdoor activities safely," Dunlop added.
