Note: Due to the constant changing of COVID-19 restrictions by the Ontario government, some information may no longer be accurate. For up to date restrictions on sports in the province, visit here.
The Carleton women’s rugby team is practicing while following COVID-19 safety precautions to stay ready for whenever games begin again.
In a normal year, the team would be deep into their season already. With the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling the fall U Sports season, the closest to game action the team has come is limited practices.
Teams at Carleton have received guidelines from the school as well as from the government so that they are able to practice safely.
There are 32 players who have split into two separate training groups to follow social distancing measures. Many players are nearing the end of their eligibility with the team.
There have been rumours that the women’s rugby team may be able to have some sort of season in the spring as they play in the Quebec league, not Ontario.
Despite the fact this has not been confirmed, women’s rugby team captain Roberta Drummond is holding out hope for some sort of game action. She added that the team is adhering to strict protocols to ensure their safety throughout training, including wearing masks when not participating in a drill.
“We always have to be masked. We get daily COVID screening, we get a link sent to our phone every morning around 6:00 a.m. asking if we’ve had any symptoms or been in contact with anyone who has,” Drummond said.The safety guidelines for the team don’t end there.
“We can’t get on to the field until we’ve had our temperature checked and sanitize our hands,” she added. “We also can’t touch each other at practice, so we’re not hitting bags, we’re not doing touch rugby, we’re not tackling.”
The team also has strict restrictions for players travelling. If anyone on the team goes out of town they are not allowed to share equipment with the rest of the team for 14 days.
Jennifer Brenning is the assistant vice president of recreation and athletics at Carleton.
Brenning said the school’s return to training programs have been reviewed by the University Return to Work group. The group is made up by the school’s risk manager, legal counsel, health and counselling, campus health and safety as well as facility management and planning.
“Our return to train protocols follow public health, provincial legislation and guidelines provided by the Provincial Sport Organizations,” Brenning added.
The team is making do with the guidelines they must follow.
Dave Luong, who is in his first-year as head coach of the team, said the relationships of the team members are like that of a family. He said being able to practice and see each other again is good for the mental health of the players, even with the limitations in place.
Drummond echoed Luong’s sentiment.
“The girls that are here want to be here and are playing for the love of the game. It’s not just about wearing a jacket that says ‘Ravens rugby’ around campus,” Drummond said.
“You’re here following these crazy restrictions and doing these [less than ideal] practices where all we do is run. You’re here for the love of the game and because you love the team.”
