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
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.