Update from the GM: Keeping Encouraged, Social Distancing, and Potential Exhibitions

Toronto Arrows Supporters,

First of all, on behalf of everyone at the club, we hope you and your families are safe and well in these challenging circumstances. With community health and safety the priority right now, please know we are in this with you.

It’s been a couple of weeks since the very tough decision to end the 2020 season was made, and we are doing well. The players and staff were obviously very disappointed — especially since we were so well-placed after five strong away games — but this outcome is way beyond our control, and all we can do is accept it and move on. We have been very encouraged by the reaction of the players and expect to have most back for next season. In talking to other MLR GMs, we are almost unique in that situation, so we feel confident we are going from strength to strength.

While social distancing measures are being followed and adhered to, there is still plenty of (virtual) contact on the go at the club. The players have been keeping in touch with regular video hangouts and group chats, we are participating (albeit not as well as we’d hoped!) in the MLR 2020: Virtual season, and our strength and conditioning team has been providing individual programs to the guys to keep them in shape during this window.

At the league level, planning is well underway for 2021 and we are in conversation with several MLR teams and a couple of Canadian sides about exhibition games when this subsides and it’s safe to get back on the field. Some of these will be very exciting possibilities, so watch this space for more details!

We will do our best to keep you updated as developments progress, and we can’t wait to see you all again when this ends and we return to normalcy.

Stay strong and Arrows Up!

Mark Winokur
Vice President and General Manager
Toronto Arrows Rugby Football Club

Header Photo Credit: Jeff Chan