Canada West changing schedules and formats due to COVID-19 for 20-21 season

Canada West is revising its schedules for the 2020-21 season that begins in late August.

The formats, approved by the board of directors of member schools, will see fewer games and less travel because of COVID-19 which has had an impact on finances. These formats will also allow for competition to occur in a condensed period of time should COVID-19 restrictions limit, but not eliminate the amount of time available to complete the 2020-21 season.

Several key principles guided the Board’s decision-making process, including:

• Protecting the health and safety of all involved in university sport.
• Providing CW members with conference formats that best ensure their short-term financial viability and long-term sustainability.
• Ensuring that health authorities in all four provinces provide clearance before members resume any competition.

The new formats will be in place for a one-year period and revisited prior to the 2021-22 season.

Ultimately a determination on Canada West’s 2020-21 season will be contingent on clearance from health authorities in all four Western provinces, member universities permitting sport competition, and the availability of venues suitable for Canada West competition.

FALL SPORTS

• MEN’S FOOTBALL (6 teams)
  • Regular season:
    • 5 games per team (1 game vs. each team)
• MEN’S SOCCER (13 teams)
  • Regular season:
    • 10 games per team
    • 2 divisions
      • Pacific Division (7 teams): 2 games vs. 4 teams + 1 additional game vs. 2 teams
      • Prairie Division (6 teams): 2 games vs. 5 teams
• WOMEN’S SOCCER (16 teams)
  • Regular season:
    • 10 games per team
    • 3 divisions
      • B.C. Division (7 teams): 2 games vs. 4 teams + 1 additional game vs. 2 teams
      • Alberta Division (5 teams): 3 games vs. 2 teams + 2 games vs. 2 teams
      • Sask. / Manitoba Division (4 teams): 3 games vs. 2 teams + 4 games vs. 1 team

FALL & WINTER SPORTS

• MEN’S & WOMEN’S HOCKEY (9 teams)
  • Regular season:
    • 20 games per team (2 games vs. each team + additional games based on location)
      • TWU vs. UBC an additional 4 games
      • Alberta & MacEwan (Edmonton) + Calgary & Mount Royal (Calgary)
        • 2 additional games between members in same city
        • 1 additional game between each member in other city
      • Saskatchewan, Regina, & Manitoba
        • 2 additional games vs. each other
• MEN’S & WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (17 teams)
  • Regular season:
    • 16 games per team
    • Three divisions
      • B.C. Division (7 teams): 3 games vs. 4 teams + 2 additional games vs. 2 teams
      • Alberta Division (5 teams): 4 games vs. 4 teams
      • Sask. / Manitoba Division (5 teams): 4 games vs. 4 teams
• MEN’S & WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL (13 men’s and 14 women’s teams)
  • 16 games per team
  • Three divisions
    • B.C. Division: 5 teams
    • Alberta Division: 4 teams
    • Sask. / Manitoba Division: 4 teams (men’s) & 5 teams (women’s)
      • Divisions of 5 play each other 4 times
      • Divisions of 4 play each other 4 times + 4 additional in-division matches