Courtesy: Wray Morrison

By Wray Morrison

Huskies alter preparation plans

Football team easily adapts to challenging travel day

Nov 18, 2022 | 6:42 AM

There are a number of ways to describe the Huskie football team’s travel day to Halifax on Thursday. “Problems at Pearson” or “Troubles in Toronto” are just two that come to mind. However, in the end, a Huskie squad that has proven it can adapt when necessary, is calmly preparing for Saturday’s Uteck Bowl.

The day started for many at 3:00 am, on Thursday morning, when players, coaches and staff loaded the bus at the U of S campus. Some members of the managerial, equipment and training staff were at Griffiths Stadium prior to 2:00 am. After a late night of preparing for the trip on Wednesday, some just slept at the clubhouse before the buses made their way to the Saskatoon airport at 3:30 am.

The challenges started in Toronto when an Air Canada flight that, was scheduled to leave for Halifax at 12:30 pm eastern time, was delayed and eventually cancelled. Huskie players, coaches and support staff sat on the tarmac at Toronto for approximately two hours before being told that the flight was cancelled.

Tired, but calm, team members got off the plane in the middle of the afternoon waiting to hear about the forthcoming travel plans. Strength and conditioning coordinator, Joel Lipinski, led many players through a brief stretch right in the airport during the delay.

The team learned that their alternate flight was boarding at a different gate at approximately 5:00 pm, eastern time. The Huskies could see their gear out the window being loaded on to the plane, however there were more delays. There were several announcements, from Air Canada staff, asking passengers to check their carry-on bags for what would be a crowded flight to Halifax.

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Not until 8:10 pm, approximately two and a half to three hours after boarding was scheduled to happen, did the plane get in the air, on its way to Nova Scotia. The flight landed at approximately 9:30 pm, Atlantic time. Players got to the hotel after 11:00 pm, ate, and went to bed.

The team had planned to arrive in Halifax prior to 4:00 pm, have a session with Lipinski, have a team meal and some meetings, before wrapping up for the day just after 8:00 pm. A 7 hour delay changed all of that. Some members of the staff had been awake for a full 22 hours.

This is a Huskie team that has adapted to injuries, adverse weather and many other unforeseen circumstances during the course of the 2022 season. Thursday’s travel day, in the lead up to Saturday’s Uteck Bowl, is just another according to head coach Scott Flory.

The Huskies face the St. FX Xmen at 11:00 am (Saskatchewan time) in the 2022 Uteck Bowl. The game can be heard on the HuskieFAN app and HuskieFAN.ca.

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wray.morrison@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @wraymorrison