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North Stars special hockey season cancelled for 2020-2021

'I am disappointed we can't have the hockey this year but I have always been a believer of safety first'
2020 North Stars1
Christopher Ouellette is one of the North Stars players who recognizes the reason the North Bay North Stars special hockey season has been cancelled. Photo submitted.

The North Bay North Stars special hockey program is officially cancelling all its programming for the 2020-21 season. 

Denis Ouellette, the newly elected president of the hockey organization, says cancelling hockey makes the most sense. 

"Past President Sharon Fung and her husband Dr. Donald Fung are part of the medical community and with all the COVID-19 shutdowns and Return to Play stuff and from the medical guidance from Dr. Fung, it was pretty much a 'no-brainer' for us," said Ouellette. 

Discussions on their plans were made in the summer and fall with the final cancellation decision coming last week. 

"We have players in the high vulnerable category, some of our players are not in a high vulnerable category but their family members are. 

The special hockey program included 45 players on three teams including the all-youth group called the "Shooting Stars." 

Aside from being president, Ouellette is also a father to a North Stars player. His son Christopher, 22, has autism but understands the risks of playing hockey during a pandemic. 

"He has been very concerned right from the beginning about the effects of COVID-19," he said. 

"With autism, when they get a sense of something, they have a very logical perspective of things. Their perspective might be different than ours but they still take a very logical and literal approach to things they are presented with.  He follows the news and sees how deadly the virus has been and it's like, 'Dad I don't want to play.'" 

While the future past this season is still uncertain due to COVID-19, Ouellette is optimistic that the North Stars and the Shooting Stars can return to play for the fall of 2021.

"I am disappointed we can't have the hockey this year but I have always been a believer of safety first," he said. 


Chris Dawson

About the Author: Chris Dawson

Chris Dawson has been with BayToday.ca since 2004. He has provided up-to-the-minute sports coverage and has become a key member of the BayToday news team.
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