As you can see in the photo, even Black Hawk's mascot "Tommy Hawk" is pumped up with the news of the USHL releasing a statement today saying it plans to start the 2020-21 season this fall with the intention to play a full schedule.

Before the 2019/20 USHL season got cut short in March due to COVID-19, the post season was looking very promising for the (at that time) Western Division-leading Black Hawks. So Waterloo hockey fans should be very excited about the upcoming *potential* season. It's hard to be optimistic at this point though, as coronavirus cases are surging across the U.S., with some states seeing a record amount of daily reported cases.

According to a press release: The Board of Directors met Thursday in the first of a series of weekly scheduled Zoom calls to review Return to Play protocols for the coming season based on the latest recommended COVID-19 health precautions. “Our Board of Directors meetings have been another great example of how in a time of uncertainty across sports, our Clubs are coming together to provide the best opportunity for our players to continue their development in the safest manner possible,” said USHL President and Commissioner Tom Garrity. “Each of our Member Clubs was represented as we discussed the best way to return to play for the 2020-21 season while ensuring the safety of everyone involved in returning to the ice.”

Black Hawks camps really aren't that far away, starting in August, so for now, we'll treat this announcement with cautious optimism.

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