U of R athlete losing last season after Canada West pandemic cancellation

Cameron Cross may not have the chance to play his last season of university football.

The University of Regina (U of R) Rams defensive lineman says the cancellation of the upcoming 2020-21 football season by Canada West means he will miss his final year of eligibility due to the league’s age cap.

University football allows for seven years of eligibility from an athlete’s high school graduation to play five seasons of U sports, up to an age cap of 25. Anyone who reaches that age as of Sept. 1 will be ineligible for that season.

“It was pretty frustrating,” Cross said about hearing Canada West had cancelled the upcoming U sports season. “Obviously, the initial reaction is a little bit of anger.”

Cross, 24, says he was looking forward to what would have been his final season.

“I played a lot of back-up last year, I didn’t actually see the field a whole lot and this was, in my mind, my year to kind of take the field and show what I can do,” Cross said.

“That was a bit more of a stinger, finding out that we won’t be able to play, I won’t be able to showcase what I’ve been working up to.”

An age cap extension for players aging out of their eligibility during the 2020-21 season has not yet been confirmed.

“My head’s trying to stay away from there,” Cross said.

The defensive lineman is already looking ahead and trying to see the situation as a chance for growth.

“I’m going forward under the pretense that I’m going to be allowed to play in the 2020-21 season,” Cross said. “My vision and goal remains the same, it’s just been delayed now another 15 months.

“It’s another opportunity to further hone in on those skills and sharpen my tools a little bit for next season, should they grant me the age cap extension,” he said.

Cross, who was recently accepted into the faculty of education at the U of R said he still plans to continue his studies at the university.

“It’s just more time to get prepared and oddly enough it’s a weird opportunity we’ve been blessed with,” Cross said.