After a cancelled 2020 season and the deleterious effects on sport as result of the COVID-19 pandemic, baseball will be back in 2021. The OUA announced that the university sport season will go ahead with some tweaks.
The most important change will be a more modest schedule and the introduction of regional qualifiers for G3 Sports like baseball. Here is the pertinent statement from the OUA:
Among the key considerations for the 2021-22 open championship structures are:
Regional qualifiers will take place across several G2/G3 sports (cross country, wrestling, baseball, curling, golf, lacrosse, tennis, water polo) ahead of the championship(s), with the number of teams/student-athletes advancing to the championship(s) dependent on the respective sport. Such championships will then take place as single day events whenever possible.
Championship structures will remain status quo for several G2/G3 sports, including rowing, swimming, track and field, badminton, fencing, figure skating, Nordic skiing, and squash, pending further evaluation in the fall.
The Rowing Championships will transition from a two-day event to a one-day event.
Where applicable, bronze medal games will be played should teams already be at the championship and the game does not extend the length/schedule of the championship.
All above structures remain subject to change based on regional health guidelines, as well as provincial sport organization return-to-play guidelines, to best maintain the health and safety of all OUA participants in the conference’s return to competition.
The OUA will provide further details on specific sport schedules as the province of Ontario continues to progress through the three-step reopening plan.
The good news is that baseball will proceed, and the introduction of regional qualifiers may make sense for OUA baseball in the future. After a long lay-off student athletes across the province are looking forward to the resumption of competitive sports, regardless of the format.
Link to full OUA update: https://oua.ca/news/2021/6/21/general-oua-announces-approved-structures-for-2021-22-season.aspx
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