Three of Nanaimo's most popular summer sports teams are hopeful rules will keep their players and fans safe while allowing for games to be played this season. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Dan Marshall

Hoping to Play

Pirates, Timbermen and Raiders hopeful to play at least partial seasons in 2020

May 7, 2020 | 7:18 PM

NANAIMO — Three of the Harbour City’s highest profile sports teams are waiting on pause right now.

The Mid Island Pirates, Senior A Timbermen VI Raiders are hoping their sports will get the green light in the near future.

Baseball season was slated to start a month ago for the senior Pirates.

The team just came off their best regular season ever in 2019 and new coach and co-owner/GM Larson Bauck knows any BCPBL season will have to be an abbreviated one.

“Best case scenario right now is a July 1 start,” Bauck said. “That would run for the seniors until August 15th. We’re not going to play a full season for junior, senior or bantam.

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Getting baseball going again is a delicate balance with a lot of stakeholders having to get on the same page.

Bauck explained the BCPBL, City of Nanaimo and surrounding communities who host teams in the league need to align.

“We could come up with the best ideas to get on the field and respect social distancing but there’s always going to be situations in sport where social distancing is not going to apply.”

Bauck said the drop dead date to start the BCPBL season is July 15.

The Timbermen lacrosse team had planned to play their home opener on May 21, but when a scaled down lacrosse season might start is anybody’s guess.

Chris Bowman, team president said the Mann Cup, which has been competed for nationally since 1926, is in limbo as well.

“The CLA is going to make an announcement in mid May if there’s going to be a national championships this year. The other part is if the government is going to let rinks re-open because right now it’s looking like June 1 before the rinks are even going to consider re-opening.”

Because box lacrosse shares arenas with hockey there isn’t a lot of wiggle room to extend a season into the fall.

The BCFC season doesn’t open until mid July but it’s far from business as usual for the VI Raiders with the team forced to cancel their May spring camp.

Coach Curtis Vizza said he’s watching closely what is happening with the CFL.

“The CFL is planning for July so we’ve been hoping for the same. We’re optimistic to have a season even if it’s condensed.”

The Raiders haven’t nailed down hard dates for getting in a full or partial season but Vizza says those discussions are close at hand.

dan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On twitter: @danmarshall77