Provincial basketball playoffs on the line (ID 31252151 © Viorel Dudau | Dreamstime.com)

By Keaton Brown

losing hoop dreams

Provincial basketball playoffs in jeopardy with Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation job action

Mar 11, 2020 | 2:00 PM

With Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) job action set to start Thursday, March 12, the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association (SHSAA) announced that the basketball playoffs are in jeopardy.

Director of Education for Living Sky School Division Brenda Vickers said athletics, like basketball, fall under the extracurricular category and would be affected by the teachers’ job action.

“Anything outside of regular school hours that is extra in nature [is extracurricular] so that would definitely be school sports. Sometimes schools do have basketball practices in the morning or at the noon hour, so that would also be off. The teams for all intents and purposes would be shut down [effective Thursday],” she said.

The SHSAA said that they have reviewed past scenarios where teacher-government contract negotiations have impacted SHSAA activities and championships. They rely heavily on volunteer efforts from teachers across the province to provide educational athletics to Saskatchewan students.

They have concluded without Saskatchewan teachers available to coach, officiate or organize SHSAA events, these events will not be able to continue.

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The SHSAA Executive Council determined that basketball playoffs will continue if efforts between the two bargaining committees can result in sanctions being lifted before 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday March 11, 2020.

If sanctions are not lifted by that deadline, the SHSAA said all remaining basketball playoffs will be cancelled due to the lack of teacher involvement in the events, the loss of the qualification process, and the constraints for schools and host sites in planning and preparing for the event.

The SHSAA said the change will impact approximately 1,700 students, 300 coaches and several other organizations and entities involved with SHSAA and the hosting of basketball playoffs.

In a press release, the SHSAA said “playoffs are a celebration of school sport in our province and provide a showcase for student-athletes as they finish their season of play. The playoffs are one of many programs that SHSAA utilizes to achieve the goals of school sport. The critical life skills that student athletes attain are accumulated through months of participation in a school sport program. That being said, it cannot be denied that an opportunity to participate in school sport playoffs is another means to enhance the learning opportunities of students as they develop citizenship skills in a competitive sport environment.”

The SHSAA said they are waiting to see what the two sides offer to alleviate the situation by the 3:30 p.m. deadline today before making any further decisions on the matter.

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Keaton.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow