Cheerleading families frustrated at EPSB's late decision to enter competition virtually because of COVID-19 rules
Some cheerleaders and parents from two Edmonton Public Schools are frustrated with the district after they were not allowed to attend a competition in person this weekend.
Teams from D. S. MacKenzie Junior High School and Harry Ainlay High School were supposed to participate in the first Cold Snap Cheer & Dance Championships in 22 months at the Edmonton Expo Centre, but the Edmonton Public School Board told them on Thursday they would have to participate virtually due to COVID-19 restrictions.
During the current fifth wave, EPSB says inter-school games are allowed, without fans, but tournaments and field trips are postponed.
EPSB informed teams they would not be allowed to go to the Expo Centre because Cold Snap is a tournament not organized by the school division and it allows spectators, "which does not align with our current protocols."
They cited concerns with students interacting with other cohorts of students and schools, where the risk of COVID-19 transmissibility would be higher. EPSB added that these restrictions have been in place since the return from winter break.
'EXTREMELY UPSET'
Like so many times in the pandemic, the teams were asked to settle for the online experience.
Every team that signed up was at the Expo Centre, but D.S. MacKenzie and Harry Ainley participated from the high school's gym and livestreamed the performance to family and friends, and the Cold Snap judges back at the competition venue.
A parent was upset she had to watch the competition on her phone in her car. Jan. 22, 2022. (CTV News Edmonton)
"All the kids were extremely upset," a mother watching her daughter on her phone in her car outside the gym told CTV News. "They've had so much taken away from them."
"From my perspective: There's government restrictions in place. There's the REP program, there's a masking mandate, there's capacity limits."
A Cold Snap event producer told CTV News the event is following Alberta's Restrictions Exemption Program with 50 per cent capacity in the stands, and added some teams decided to wear masks while they compete.
"Any of our teams are a little bit more spread out than normal in terms of the time they're taking the floor, which then also spreads them out in the back in their warm up, as well as when they and their parents are coming into the building," Kim Fiissel said.
"When we have a crowd, it is so much more fun. They feed off of it, athletes are super excited to show their family and friends what it is that they have been working on, and it just makes everything so much more fun. But sometimes we have to take what we can get and if all that we're able to do is compete virtually, we'll take that too at times, because the main thing is to get these kids moving, get them active and give them hope for what is in the future, and to keep them engaged in sport."
The online experience was difficult for athletes and parents alike.
For some children, it was their first time ever competing, and their parents weren't there.
"It was a little weird," a Grade 7 student told CTV News.
A parent, who said it was "heartbreaking" the teams couldn't compete in person, questioned the fairness of online competition.
"You can't see anything. You can't see who's who. You can barely see which team is which," said Martin Nagy. "They're supposed to be judging this from Expo through the camera. If I can't tell who's who, I don't know how they're doing the judging."
Cheerleaders and parents hope this is the first and last virtual performance as the season gets underway.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Competition bureau finds 'substantial' anti-competitive effects with proposed Bunge-Viterra merger
The proposed merger of agricultural giants Viterra and Bunge is raising competition concerns from the federal government.