The National Hockey Leaguesa国际传媒檚 B.C.-born senior officiating manager is inside the sa国际传媒淣HL bubblesa国际传媒� in Toronto now.
Rob Shick, originally from Port Alberni, crossed through the barriers on Thursday, July 23, and wonsa国际传媒檛 come out now until the end of the Stanley Cup playoffssa国际传媒攑ossibly not until October.
National Hockey League players began arriving in the twin NHL bubbles of Toronto and Edmonton on Sunday, July 26. Twenty-four teams will compete in a restart of the season, which was interrupted in March thanks to the coronavirus epidemic.
sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檒l be there until anywhere from 45-50 days by the time we get out of there,sa国际传媒� Shick said last week from his home in Florida.
sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檒l be looking after the officials that are in Toronto, then Isa国际传媒檒l be interacting with the coaches and general managerssa国际传媒攁ll inside the bubble.sa国际传媒�
Security will be tight inside the two NHL sites, with security fencing separating NHL teams and personnel from the general population. Everyone inside will be undergoing daily COVID-19 testing.
sa国际传媒淥nce wesa国际传媒檙e in the bubble wesa国际传媒檙e not allowed to go out,sa国际传媒� Shick explained.
Each bubble will be self-contained, with 14 restaurants for players and staff as well as concierge service for players to receive delivery. An outdoor recreation facility has been created at BMO Field in Toronto, where the Toronto FC plays MLS soccer and the Argonauts ordinarily play their Canadian Football League games.
sa国际传媒淚t will be quite extensive,sa国际传媒� he said. The hockey arena where games will be played has been set up with sa国际传媒�20 or 30sa国际传媒� cameras, he said, which will give fans watching on television a superior experience. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 going to look amazing on TV.sa国际传媒�
Shick is the compliance officer for his group of officials, and must check in daily with the NHL to let them know everyone has had a temperature checked before they leave the hotel, have had their daily COVID-19 nasal swab and have been wearing their masks.
Shick should have been in Port Alberni earlier in July for the annual Charity Golf Classic at the Alberni Golf Club, which he started in 1994. He returns to play in it every year.
sa国际传媒淣ormally I would have already been up there for the golf tournament, which is the highlight of my year: getting out of the weather in Florida, seeing friends and family, and raising money for charity. This is a different time and wesa国际传媒檝e had to make adjustments.
sa国际传媒淗opefully next year Isa国际传媒檒l be back up for the tournament.sa国际传媒�
The golf club hasnsa国际传媒檛 found a replacement for raising money for the various charities that benefited, including BC Childrensa国际传媒檚 Hospital, said Gerry Fagan of the organizing committee.
sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檝e had a few people from out of town show up who are regulars at the tournament,sa国际传媒� Fagan added. Former Alberni Valley Bulldog assistant coach Adam Hayduk, CTV Morning Live co-anchor Jason Pires, Ucluelet mayor Mayco Noel and Tony Powellsa国际传媒擲hicksa国际传媒檚 cousin from Campbell Riversa国际传媒攈ave all come to play golf this summer; sa国际传媒渢hey all said that they missed the tournament,sa国际传媒� Fagan said.
Shick spent the early part of the pandemic at home in Florida, but said the resulting diseasesa国际传媒擟OVID-19sa国际传媒攈asnsa国际传媒檛 affected him personally beyond a seven-day quarantine. His wife, Lynda Frye, is a doctor specializing in womensa国际传媒檚 breast cancer, and one of his sons is also a frontline worker. sa国际传媒淢y wife works in the (health-care) business so she sees more than I do, and my son is a firefighter now.
sa国际传媒淭hey see more on the front lines but are fine for now.sa国际传媒�
Shick worked on nailing down the officiating side of the NHL restart and Stanley Cup playoffs. Itsa国际传媒檚 been challenging, he noted, because there arensa国际传媒檛 many direct flights to bring referees to the NHL bubble cities. sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檝e all had to have tests for COVID-19 before leaving. Isa国际传媒檝e had three tests in one week and will be tested again on a daily basis in Toronto. Wesa国际传媒檒l be wearing masks. Wesa国际传媒檙e settled right into a hotel.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 going to be challenging, but at the same time exciting to get hockey on TV for everybody.sa国际传媒�
susie.quinn@albernivalleynews.com
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