Due to the Mayor and Dane county officials’ announcement today banning gatherings over 50 people due to COVID-19 and our wish for the safety of our hockey family, we are going to cancel the remainder of our season (3/22, 3/29, and 4/5). It’s a disappointing end to our season, for sure, and it is the best decision we can make to help keep folx healthy and safe.
We don’t want anyone to have to decide between their own health and their hockey team. Lots of us (including myself) view hockey as family and would do most anything to keep from feeling like we’re letting that family down. This cancellation is so you don’t have to make that call.
What we did manage to do this season!
6 weeks of clinics including a 4 week spirit tournament
2 weeks of team practices
2 challenge weeks
14 weeks of league games
(That’s a total 24 weeks of hockey we squeezed in!!)
14 fantastic teams and team names (and like a bazillion clever jersey names)
Taught over 40 people how to play hockey (whaaat?!?)
Grew to the largest gay hockey league IN THE WORLD with 196 players (take that, Toronto!)
Participated in Hockey is for Everyone events with the Capitols, Milwaukee Admirals, and Chicago Blackhawks
Raised a bunch of money for Vivent at our Blades Against Aids fundraiser
Three new league sponsors
Made new friends/connections/teammates
Countless actions big and small by a TON of people that made this season happen, thank you all
What’s coming up?
Essay entries and winner announcement soon (you might cry, sorrynotsorry)
More rainbow sweatshirts available soon (I hope, haven’t heard from the printer, but they were in process a week ago) – shipping options will be available
Lots of practice time at home (we’ll add a page of resources and your recommendations)
Maybe some virtual hangouts (researching now if folx have ideas?)
A super fun party/championship night at some point
Summer scrimmages (as soon as we get the all clear, we will get those scheduled)
What’s also delayed/on hold?
Classic Tournabout show will be postponed to a later date (TBD)
TeamTrans Friendship Series will also be postponed until a later date (TBD)
Classic Tournament is cancelled, hoping to reschedule. Refunds will be issued as soon as we can.
Other stuff
Membership applications are still open. We will discuss the logistics of the end of season member meeting (where the board gets voted on) at our upcoming virtual board meeting this week.
What we will be looking forward to, when the infection curve is sufficiently flattened and manageable for health care workers and facilities, is renting ice on an upcoming Sunday (TBD) and hopefully having our championship night complete with potluck and league picture. We realize the later into the year that we push, we will be bumping against other sports leagues, long awaited travel, and other fun things. Subbing and such will all still be in place.
To the health care and sanitation workers, medical researchers, daycare workers, Epic folx, and everyone else in our family that continues to work to keep things running, thank you for putting yourselves in harm’s way to help others. To the rest of us that can stay home, thank you for doing what you can to lower infection rates and keep the load on those other folx as manageable as possible.
With gratitude for a successful (yet somewhat abbreviated) season,
Amanda
on behalf of the Board