Hello Voyageurs,
I hope you are all doing as well as you can be in these unprecedented and uncertain times. While the past two-plus months have been extremely fluid and ever changing, the future is still very uncertain. It is a result of those uncertainties that today, June 8th, the OUA, in conjunction with Canada West and the Atlantic University Sport (AUS), has made the difficult and heart-wrenching decision to cancel the 2020 Fall season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I can assure you that this decision was driven by the health and safety of all Canadian University student-athletes, coaches and stakeholders.
This news is difficult for all of us who have been driven by sport our entire lives. It is particularly difficult for those of you who were about to begin your final year of university competition. I want to thank you for your commitment to the blue and gold over the past years. This is not the ending anyone wants in their sports career but it is the unfortunate reality of this pandemic. However, know that our doors are always open should you wish to return to Laurentian for the 2021-22 season.
For all of you, this news is not easy and coping mechanisms may be stretched thin after the past few months. We are here for you and have resources available to support you, listed below. If you need to access any or all of these resources, I encourage you to do so, even if it is just to chat or vent.
Again, this is not what any of us wanted, but it is what is necessary to keep you, our student-athletes, safe. At some point, the provincial government will allow us to return to train and I fully expect to see you and your teammates wearing the blue and gold in the not-so-distant future.
Stay safe, enjoy your summer and we will chat soon,
Pete
Related Resources
Peter Hellstrom - Athletic Director - phellstrom@laurentian.ca
Serge Demers - Interim Vice President - Academic and Provost - sdemers@laurentian.ca
You may call 705-673-6506 during office hours (9:00-4:30 pm). Counsellors will remain available for follow-up. We will determine the best way to support your needs and direct you to the most appropriate service or resources.
Additional counselling/crisis/support lines you can reach out to include:
Good2Talk
1-866-925-5454: All students can access 24/7.
You can also access Good2Talk's 24/7 support via text by texting GOOD2TALKto 686868. https://good2talk.ca/
Bounceback
Bounceback’s services are still accessible to students and all residents of Ontario https://bouncebackontario.ca/
Big White Wall
Big White Wall is a peer support community that is a great tool for students. https://www.bigwhitewall.com