Campbell-Pascall misses the mark with apology demand

If COVID took on a human form, complete with the ability to speak, then there would be someone for Cassie Campbell-Pascall to demand an apology from.

The decorated former Canadian national women’s hockey team player turned broadcaster made an audacious statement last week on national TV when she said Nova Scotia Premier Iain Rankin owed national teams an apology for cancelling the Women’s World Hockey Championship, which was to be played in Halifax and Truro May 6 to 16.

Campbell-Pascall was doing OK with her rant in questioning the decision, but to finish by suggesting the premier should apologize for the cancellation, with COVID back raging in Nova Scotia, especially in the HRM, her coment came across as entitled.

She tried to argue, and others may agree, the bubble that was to be created would be safe, since it worked in other locales. But as we always like to say as athletes and coaches, a phrase I am sure CampbellPascall has heard, past success is no guarantee of future success.

As well, in this case, unlike those others, there were two locales to worry about.

So Premier Rankin erred on the side of caution and it meant the cancellation of a hockey tournament. A very prestigious and important one but, in the end, a sporting event.

I don’t think that warrants an apology. Sympathy yes, and I feel for the players and team staffs, especially the ones with local ties — but an apology?

And even if a decision based on safety-first did, I would say the sympathy line is long and these teams would not be at the front.

How about all the businesses which are trying to navigate through yet another shutdown? How about all the family members who haven’t seen their loved ones for months due to travel restrictions? How about all the education and career plans derailed and delayed?

There are so many deeply impacted when it comes to COVID restrictions. Campbell-Pascal’s demand is simply tone-deaf.

And even if we brought it back to a sports level, a hockey level even, ahead of our national team in that same sympathy line for me are the thousands of players who have had seasons cut short or canceled all together.

I think of some of what

I saw locally over this past winter, players young and old, female and male, advanced and beginners, just happy to get some hockey in.

I recall a comment from Northern Subway Selects Major U-18 female head coach Craig Clarke, whose team did get to play a condensed schedule and have a provincial playoff but were robbed of their chance to compete for an Atlantic or national title. Clark said the coaching staff never had to “cajole” the players, meaning they never came to the rink feeling sorry for themselves, because they understood the bigger picture of what was going on around them.

It was the same kind of thought shared with me by junior A Crushers’ captain Jake Martin and junior A Bearcats’ goaltender Alec MacDonald — graduating 20-year-olds playing in their hometowns, who had their last two seasons cut short. For both, it may have been their last hurrah as far as serious hockey is concerned.

“It sucks we didn’t get to play (more) hockey, but I’m still thankful that we got the chance to when there are so many people in Canada that didn’t get the chance,” Martin said. “I’m just thankful I was able to have any bit of a last season.”

Campbell-Pascall wanted to advocate for the program which made her a star, but in doing so, she ignored the world around her — like she was already in a bubble.