U-Sports has announced it will not be extending the age restriction for Canadian university football players.
This is significant because of the cancellation of the 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Overall, what this means is that any player who turns 25 years of age before Sept. 1, 2021 will not be allowed to take the field in a football uniform despite what their eligibility says.
This ends up impacting 13 Bison football players this year and ultimately 16 others who will lose a full year of eligibility if their birthday is before Sept. 1.
Not only does this impact the players on the field, but it also causes them to lose a year of scholarship money to pay for school.
This is something that can be crucial for some families that rely on scholarship money to get the education the athlete needs.
Although already announced, U-Sports has said they will take another look at this rule.
This is mainly caused by the negative feedback they have received from staff and players.
A fifth year can be a critical year for an athlete’s life.
It can determine whether they end up going pro or unfortunately hanging up the cleats and pursuing other career options.
Although the rule is up for debate, players, coaches and fans are going to have to wait patiently to hear the good or the bad news that will come out of it.
