Opinion: Press pause on junior sport competition

Having attended hockey, football and soccer games on the weekend, a few things became clear.

There's no doubt youngsters are thrilled to be back.

While many were ecstatic some Hampden league footballers and netballers got a lesson in resilience.

They were told hours or minutes before their games they wouldn't be playing after waiting months to take the field or court.

It would have been a mental blow. But also a logistical and financial one too.

Some players from away teams South Warrnambool and Terang Mortlake travelled to venues (Camperdown and Cobden) without getting a game.

There's obviously concern about what happens to the HFNL junior competitions given some matches were postponed.

Do they make up games midweek? Do they ditch finals so there's nothing to gain points towards?

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Talking to South Warrnambool president Steve Harris and Koroit's under 18.5 co-coach Joe Woonton, I learned the priority for them is not about winning a 2020 premiership but about kids getting to play.

But is it even worth playing for the sake of playing if we have a repeat of Saturday - when people journey to a destination only to find out their game has been postponed because of COVID-19 risk?

There was uncertainty at Koroit's Victoria Park on Saturday where all games were completed.

The players found out about the other matches being postponed an hour before their game.

Woonton told his players to enjoy the experience because it could be their "first and last" game of 2020.

Players have no choice but to play like there's no tomorrow because as Saturday demonstrated, anything can happen.

I also gathered on Saturday junior players would accept it if their season was cancelled.

As Koroit player Jake McCosh said: "We didn't really expect to get back at all".

What also became clear on the weekend is this part of Victoria is not exempt from COVID-19.

Twelve positive tests have emerged from the Australian Lamb Colac meatworks cluster.

We're fortunate we're not being forced to wear face masks this week.

That's mandatory for everyone aged 12 and over in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire from Thursday.

Warrnambool Rangers president Cameron Pyke believes the writing is on the wall for junior sport.

"It's good to have it back but I can see the remnants of what's going to happen in the future," the soccer president said.

"With Melbourne they had those first couple of cases and then it really started to balloon out.

"We're probably in a similar situation where I think unfortunately recreational sport is probably going to be one of the first things to go because of the high-risk of community transmissions between either players or coaches or people at the venue watching."

Pyke believes it crucial to act soon.

"You can see the start of what could be a next hot spot and it's important we stop it at its source," he said.

"If we can learn anything from the Melbourne areas and the metropolitan areas, it's that unfortunately it does probably mean either going back into lockdown or putting new restrictions in place."

There are significant benefits of having youngsters back playing sport including for physical and mental benefits.

But people of all age groups have made significant sacrifices this year.

Young athletes understand that and will be prepared to do the same if necessary.

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