By Dan Plouffe
Around 40% of the English public school board teams that entered national capital sports competitions last winter will be missing this season, due to the teachers’ ongoing labour action in protest of the legislation the provincial government imposed that freezes their wages for two years, bans strikes, and reduces sick days while not allowing them to be carried over year-to-year.
The majority of teams will be coached by parents and community volunteers, with a sprinkling of teacher-coaches. The teachers’ union asked its members to think carefully about whether they should volunteer their time coaching.
Ridgemont and Ottawa Tech are the two schools with zero winter teams.
Oct. 31 was the intent to enter deadline for winter sports – including basketball, volleyball, Nordic and alpine skiing, snowboarding, and wrestling.