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By Shane Clausing
grande prairie minor hockey

GPMHA unveils what return to play will look like in Step 1

Feb 10, 2021 | 4:29 PM

Grande Prairie Minor Hockey has unveiled how ice sessions will look like next week.

As of February 16, minor hockey leagues across Alberta will be allowed to resume practices.

While players and teams are allowed to return to the ice, Ryan Allan, the Technical Director of GPAC (GPAC is associated with Grande Prairie Minor Hockey) says things will look different compared to the last time teams were allowed on the ice in November.

“There’s skill sessions to start because they have to be properly distanced. Because of the restrictions, you have to be three meters apart, you can’t even call them practices because you can’t do battle drills or small area games, it can just be skill sessions.”

According to Allan, the skill sessions will feature puck handling, shooting and passing drills.

In total, 20 people are allowed on the ice, two of those people must be coaches and the rest are players. Initially, the government said only ten people would be allowed on the ice at a time, but the province made the switch to allow for 20 people on Monday.

Of the 20 people allowed on the ice, the team will be split up into two groups, there will be ten people on each side of the ice.

Allan tells EverythingGP he’s hopeful teams will be able to play games soon.

“There’s nothing yet from Hockey Alberta in terms of going back to games, but a lot has changed in the past five days, so who knows, but as of now just skill session practices and no games in the future.”

Grande Prairie Minor Hockey says they will have their season run until April 30 and also hinted there may be the possibility of a spring season with gameplay, if COVID restrictions are loosened.

As for players who decide to opt-out for the season, Grande Prairie Minor Hockey says players have until February 11. Those who wish to opt-out are asked to send an email to gpmha3@gphockey.com.

Grande Prairie Minor Hockey says it will work on a plan to get players who opt-out their money back, however, right now their number one priority is getting players back on the ice.

Those who are participating still will have emails sent through your team managers before February 15.

by Shane Clausing