Rattlers likely to play at BMGC for rest of season

By JAMES TUBB on January 14, 2022.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

The Medicine Hat College Rattlers will likely spend the rest of the season away from the college’s gymnasium.

Work at the college was expected to be completed in December, but Rattlers sport and wellness manager Terry Ballard says it had been a floating timeline that has moved rapidly to March.

“At one time it was December then very quickly after that it was January and now it’s March,” said Ballard. “Right now we’ve been told the forecast for completion is till March and we’re looking forward to being able to access it at that time.”

Work began in March 2021 on the college’s Health, Wellness and Athletics Expansion project, which forced the Rattlers to make a temporary home of the Big Marble Go Centre.

Ballard says the delay in reopening has come down to supply chain issues and COVID slowing things down.

He added they’re very excited for the whole project to be completed, not just the fitness centre. The new facility includes a welcome centre, new labs for health and science simulations on top of the twice-as-big fitness centre that will also be open to the public and 2,500 full time MHC students.

The Rattlers basketball and volleyball teams started their seasons practicing and playing exhibitions games at Medicine Hat High School until November, when they moved to the Go Centre.

Ballard says it’s been incredible to watch the resiliency of young people and the student-athletes being moved about this season.

“They’re out of their element, they’re practicing at different times, crowds aren’t as big as we would have… student-athletes and coaches have adapted really well and really positively,” Ballard said.

“I think if you asked them they would prefer to be in our gymnasium of course but I think with last year being completely cancelled, I believe they’re incredibly happy to just be playing games and practicing and back to their sport and spending time with their teammates. I’m just incredibly impressed with how they’ve adapted.”

The Rattlers return from their Holiday break tonight as the men’s and women’s basketball teams host SAIT at the Go Centre. The men’s game is at 6 p.m. followed by the women’s game at 8 p.m.

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