When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the remainder of the Orillia Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) season, house league players still had three to four games left on their schedule.
Representative or travel teams had already wrapped up their season with the exception of the four teams who made it to the Ontario Minor Hockey Association finals - which were also cancelled.
Some parents have asked if they will be refunded for the lost part of the season.
OMHA president Randy Gardy says that decision has yet to be made.
“We haven’t had a board meeting since the outbreak," said Gardy. "We are having a virtual meeting next Tuesday, and there have been absolutely zero decisions made on a refund policy."
Gardy says a refund policy will be discussed among board members, but he is unsure how it would look, especially given that the amount owing to parents is relatively insignificant.
“We don’t know how we are going to do it, but I don’t think we want to write cheques to 800 people for $7 or $10,” Gardy said.
Gardy suggested the possibility of giving the funds back to parents by discounting league fees for the upcoming season, but there is still uncertainty about when players will return to the ice.
“If we don’t have a year then we will have to go in another direction with it,” Gardy explained.
Hockey Canada has provided the OMHA with guidelines and rules to follow during the pandemic and will be providing further direction in the coming weeks and months as to how to prepare for a potential 2020/21 season, Gardy noted.
“We are mostly going on direction from the government and what they say. It’s not out of the question that we will have hockey next year but with nobody (outside of players and officials) in the arena,” Gardy suggested.
