If you want to volunteer for a Vancouver Island Amateur Hockey Association affiliate this winter, youve got a month left to get vaccinated.

On Oct. 8, the Vancouver Island Amateur Hockey Association voted to implement a further requirement that all volunteers must be double vaccinated by Nov. 22.

The move comes on the heels of ViaSport鈥檚 direction that if there are more than 50 spectators at a hockey event, vaccine passports must be checked.

And at least one Island hockey organization has made it clear this season it is not going to be putting up with any abuse of volunteers, coaches, managers or officials over COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine passports.

Tri-Port Minor Hockey, the umbrella organization for the sport on the North Island has enacted a policy that any abuse directed towards volunteers, coaches, managers or officials will not be tolerated.

鈥淎ny abuse of volunteers will result in a one month ban from both local arenas for the first offence, followed by a full ban [for the entire season] of both arenas for a second offence. We cannot run these youth sports without volunteers stepping up to make it possible, and there is no excuse to take frustrations out on these people,鈥� a league statement says.

鈥淭ri-Port Minor Hockey will uphold these requirements to ensure that our youth are able to play hockey and enjoy a season with a proper game schedule and the closest to 鈥榥ormal鈥� play possible. This will mean that some parents are not able to be in attendance due to an inability to receive their vaccinations or by personal choice. While these choices will be respected, we will be unable to bend any rules unless a medical exemption is able to be obtained.鈥�

With the start of the minor hockey season currently underway, Port Hardy Minor Hockey president Nicki Ranger posted on social media that she has been disappointed to see several people showing up to the rink and being argumentative and not wanting to follow the vaccine passport rules.

鈥淪imply put: If you are not prepared to wear a mask, and show your vaccine passport when asked, please do not attend.鈥�

Ranger posted on social media she wants everyone to work together to 鈥渂e the best supporters and fans of our teams! We are all here to support our players on the ice!鈥�

editor@northislandgazette.com
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