Dear Parents,

On behalf of the Board of the Wildcats, I hope you and your loved ones are well as we progress through this difficult period. COVID-19 has disrupted many lives, and we received confirmation this week that the 2021 Calgary Spring Football competitive season will be cancelled as well. As I am sure you are aware, the Wildcats have been conducting practice sessions online and in socially distanced, in-person, outdoor sessions for a number of weeks, in the hope that the season could be salvaged. Please know that we share in your disappointment, despite our support for any actions the CSFA takes to protect players, families and the general public.

Recently, the Board met to discuss our response to a cancellation. Our first concern is, and always will be, the health and safety of our players. We also believe that the program of activities we offer, both online and in-person, is a valuable outlet for youth. Ultimately, we believe that the Wildcats can continue to offer a safe, meaningful camp-like program for Spring participants. What we are offering is as follows:

• Once per week socially-distanced, outdoor, in-person small group practice sessions
• Online meetings and instruction
• 4 sessions per team (Senior team practices on Tuesday, Junior on Wednesday)
• Senior team in-person sessions: April 27th, May 4th, May 11th and May 18th
• Junior team in-person sessions: April 28th, May 5th, May 12th and May 20th
• The additional cost, per participant, is $50. To register, please access the link through our website, or follow this link: https://calgarywildcatsfootball.sportngin.com/register/form/739415903
• No refund requests will be accepted once the program starts, even if restrictions increase or we are forced to shut the program down for any reason.

In consultation with our coaches, managers and board members, we believe that we can safely offer this program to keep these young people on the field and engaged. We have and will continue to follow all AHS and government direction to combat the spread of COVID-19. We have robust safety protocols in place, including;

• A Safety Officer present at all practices to oversee the implementation of COVID protocols
• All players are assessed as per the COVID-19 Alberta Health Daily Checklist (for Children under 18) prior to attending practice
• Requirement for players and parents/guardians to inform team managers of COVID-19 exposure risks, including close contacts, isolation (quarantine) orders, or positive tests
• Requirements for players to arrive and depart the fields at designated, staggered times to minimize ‘clustering’
• A well-structured response plan if one of our players does contract COVID-19

It is important to note, too, the importance of compliance and participation of the players and their families with these protocols. We ask you to continue to follow the guidance set out in previous communications from the team managers and coaches, so that we can continue to provide some semblance of normalcy for everyone’s children and families.

If you want your child to continue with the sessions, please complete the registration form at the link above, or on our website. If you do not wish for your child to continue, please let us know by emailing your child’s full name, your full name and a contact number to registration@calgarywildcatsfootball.com, and we will ensure you are not charged. As always, the Wildcats are committed to ensuring that financial difficulties will not prevent any child from anticipating; if you need financial relief, please reach out to our Registrar to discuss options.

For those of you with children in, or contemplating joining our Atom, PeeWee or Bantam teams, at this time we are progressing in the belief that fall season of football will proceed, hopefully without significant restrictions. We will be opening our registration for fall in mid-May, with a $100 security deposit, and the balance of fees due once the season has been confirmed. Barring changes from the league, the Wildcats will be maintaining our fee structure at the 2019 levels of $300 for Atom, $400 for PeeWee and $415 for Bantam.

Last, but certainly not least, please join me in thanking the all-volunteer staff of coaches, managers and safety officers that make our programs possible. We are honored to have the opportunity to coach your children, and appreciate your support for the Wildcats.

Best Regards,

Laird Munro
President, Calgary WildCats Football Association 
on behalf of the Board of Director