Dear varsity community,
As a former student-athlete and coach, pausing some of our programs for the 2021/22 season was among the most difficult decisions I've had to make in my career. Many of the suspended teams have storied histories, however, ultimately the decision came down to one thing: the physical safety of our student-athletes.
Though we are all eager to resume life as we knew it pre-pandemic, the truth of the matter is that public health requirements continue to affect our programming. Nonetheless, there is reason for optimism thanks to increased vaccination rates, the implementation of a vaccination passport and greater awareness regarding how COVID-19 is spread.
As we begin our plans for the 2022/23 season, below you will find further details on what you can expect in the coming months. The most important takeaway is this: barring any additional unforeseen public health restrictions paused programs will have the opportunity to compete again in the 2022/23 season.
2022/23 season: resumption
Though there is no guarantee that all COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted by summer 2022, our goal is to have all teams who played in 2019/2020 return to competition in the 2022/23 season. Over the coming weeks, the varsity office will resume their work regarding the return of these teams.
2021/22 season: opportunities for engagement
The varsity office is also determining when and how paused teams can resume some activities during this academic year. To this end, the contracts of part-time team leadership must first be renewed, which should be completed by no later than November. Once reinstated in their roles, recruitment activities may resume, and planning for some team activities in the spring is anticipated.
This has been a very difficult time for our community, and I want to thank those of you who have shared your comments with me regarding the decisions that were made for this year's varsity season. Though some conversations have been more difficult than others, each of them reminded me of how strong our McGill community is and the pride that we all share in wearing the red and white.
Sincerely,
Geoffrey Phillips
Executive Director, Athletics and Recreation
