COVID-19 has done what the Second World War, the Spanish Flu pandemic, and four of the five years of the First World War, couldn鈥檛 do. The Vancouver Island Soccer League鈥檚 Jackson Cup has been cancelled for only the second time in its 106-year history. The last time was in 1917.
鈥淭hat makes it sting a 颅little more,鈥� said VISL executive director Vince Greco.
The entire remainder of the VISL season has been scrubbed by the board of governors. The irony is the league managed to stage the Jackson Cup last year by delaying it to the summer from its usual late-March date. The season cancellation also comes just as things are opening up again in sports with the 颅Western Hockey League and sa国际传媒 Hockey League granted permission to play.
鈥淢y phones are blowing up,鈥� said Greco.
That鈥檚 not surprising because the top end of the VISL is highly competitive, having produced World Cup players George Pakos, Jamie Lowery, Ian Bridge and other multi-capped Canadian national team performers such as Brian Robinson, Bob Bolitho and Ike MacKay.
鈥淢ore of our players wanted to play than didn鈥檛 want to play, especially anticipating that the opening of outdoors sports is coming next,鈥� said Greco.
But without a concrete date for that, the board felt it couldn鈥檛 hold on any longer. League play began in September and was halted in mid-November when then-new provincial health guidelines came into effect in all sports.
鈥淭he state of limbo was too much,鈥� said Greco.
鈥淚t was a very tricky situation. It breaks my heart. But I respect the board鈥檚 decision. I can see its viewpoint on this. You can鈥檛 plan. There is so much waiting and what ifs about 颅getting back on the pitch.鈥�
The pandemic had already taken a toll. There are usually 75 to 80 teams from U-21 to 颅Masters, featuring about 2,000 players, in a VISL season. But that dipped to 59 teams this season and about 1,200 players. But the top end of those remained keen.
鈥淭here were some guys just happy to go camping now but the majority of players wanted to play,鈥� said Greco. 鈥淭hey would have played into July.鈥�
But they will have to wait until September and the new season.
Greco said the Vancouver Metro league has also cancelled its season. He said there has been no decision yet by the Fraser Valley association.
