Group huddles, team high-fives and both parents cheering from the sidelines are off the cards for the foreseeable future, as the government prepares for the return of community sport.
Federal government agency Sport Australia released a Return to Sport Toolkit on Sunday, outlining how clubs can safely operate once season is allowed to return.
St Ives junior AFL players during their pre-season in February just before the coronavirus bans kicked in.Credit:Steven Siewert
The guidelines state that children will not be allowed to have more than one parent in attendance at games and training, with team high-fives, hand shaking, group meals and socialising banned.
Associations at every level are also asked to appoint a COVID safety coordinator to implement and oversee how the guidelines will be implemented across each club.
Community clubs have already raised concerns about how the extensive new rules will be regulated, with the burden likely to fall on volunteers.Return to Sport Toolkit
Ryde Hunters Hill District Hockey Club president Glen Castensen said the guidelines would be a challenge to implement.
"The majority of these clubs are amateur clubs and run by people who do other things; volunteers," he said. "It's just about what is actually practical."
St Ives dad Tim Collier has two boys at the hockey club, Kaia, 8, and Orson, 5. Orson was diagnosed with leukaemia last year and Mr Collier is concerned about his littlest one returning to hockey safely amid the pandemic.
"I have mixed emotions about it," he said. "On the one hand, they're very keen to get out and run around and see their friends, but we are just really cautious.
"Like any family, all we can do is follow the guidance being provided."
The Collier family are heavily involved with the Ryde Hunters Hill District Hockey Club and father Tim is concerned about how social distancing measures will be implemented.
The rules from Sport Australia also state players must wash their hands prior to, during and after training where available, with no spitting, coughing or nose clearing allowed.
"I have no idea how that is going to play out," Mr Collier said. "There are kids everywhere, parents everywhere [at the club]. How that is going to look with social distancing, I have no idea."
Sport Australia acting chief executive Rob Dalton said the guidelines were developed ultimately to limit the number of spectators at each venue.
"We only get one chance to restart sport," he said. "If we get a surge in the number of COVID cases, and we have to shut down, then that's it for the year.
"It takes so long to get it up and running ... it's just really important we take a cautious approach."
NSW Acting Sports Minister Geoff Lee said as per the current Public Health Orders, club players are welcome to start training within the 10-person limit. "The current Public Health Orders do not prevent any sporting organisation from resuming training," he said.
"It is up to the sporting organisation to adapt or modify their sport, to be in line with the Public Health Orders."
Sarah is a journalist for The Sydney Morning Herald.
Most Viewed in Sport
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMihgFodHRwczovL3d3dy5zbWguY29tLmF1L3Nwb3J0L29uZS1wYXJlbnQtb25seS1uby10ZWFtLWh1ZGRsZXMtZ292ZXJubWVudC1vdXRsaW5lcy1ydWxlcy1mb3ItY29tbXVuaXR5LXNwb3J0LXJldHVybi0yMDIwMDUyNC1wNTR2dzguaHRtbNIBhgFodHRwczovL2FtcC5zbWguY29tLmF1L3Nwb3J0L29uZS1wYXJlbnQtb25seS1uby10ZWFtLWh1ZGRsZXMtZ292ZXJubWVudC1vdXRsaW5lcy1ydWxlcy1mb3ItY29tbXVuaXR5LXNwb3J0LXJldHVybi0yMDIwMDUyNC1wNTR2dzguaHRtbA?oc=5
2020-05-24 07:40:32Z
52780806543989
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "One parent only, no team huddles: government outlines rules for community sport return - Sydney Morning Herald"
Post a Comment