Tigers JFC COVID-19 risk assessment
GUIDELINES FOR SAFE RETURN TO FOOTBALL TRAINING AFTER COVID-19 update from the FA 18th July 2020.
THIS MUST BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH FA GUIDELINES, GOVERNMENT UPDATES, ALL COVID GUIDELINES AND ANY VENUE-SPECIFIC RISK ASSESSMENTS.
Tigers Covid Officer – Lisa Di Palma ldipalma@sky.com 07908 801193
Tigers Covid Team
Keith Di Palma – kdipalma@sky.com – 07908 801079
Paul Harley – paulharley10@sky.com – 07769 347039
Wayne Freeman – wayneboy1984@yahoo.co.uk – 07739 509743
Richard Gray – Richard.gray@claretandblue.net – 07841 611220
Richard will oversea Harrow Lodge on a Saturday morning and Westlands most Sundays.
TIMEFRAMES:
Until 31st July: when ready, you can begin competitive training, with the overall group size (inclusive of coaches) being limited to 30 people – signed parent consent required for every player which is giving for training, friendlies and competitive matches once season starts .
From August: competitive matches can begin, for example pre-season fixtures, festivals and small sided competitions – this is for home and away, home friendlies need to be booked through the club to avoid congestion. NO Tigers team should be entertaining friendlies before this date as this is against the guidelines form the FA.
From September: grassroots leagues can commence in line with Government and FA Guidelines.
Before Activity Commences:
- Tigers JFC has affiliated with the Essex County Football Association and has the appropriate Insurances in place.
- Tigers JFC has undertaken a full Risk Assessment before restarting competitive grassroots football activity and has communicated with all members of the club
- Tigers JFC will continue to comply with FA Safeguarding Policies and Procedures
- Consent will be gained from parents/carers before any child can participate in training or competitive matches.
- Everyone should self-assess for COVID-19 symptoms before every training session or match. If you are symptomatic or living in a household with possible or actual COVID-19 infection you must not participate or attend, and you MUST advise your Manager.
Covid Symptoms:
- A high temperature (above 37.8o C)
- A new continuous cough. Shortness of breath.
- A sore throat.
- Loss of or change in normal sense of taste or smell.
- Feeling generally unwell. Been in close contact with/living with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 in the previous two weeks.
- Tigers JFC will keep a record of attendees at a match or training session, this will be done primarily by a QR Code instructions to follow, for anyone attending without a suitable phone then it is the Managers responsibility to advise the club by email of the details of the person/persons attending at ldipalma@sky.com.
- How NHS test and trace service works
Part 1: for someone with symptoms of coronavirus
isolate: as soon as you experience coronavirus symptoms, medical advice is clear: you must self-isolate for at least 7 days. Anyone else in your household must self-isolate for 14 days from when you started having symptoms.
Test: order a test immediately at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or call 119 if you have no internet access
Results: if your test is positive, you must complete the remainder of your 7-day self-isolation. Anyone in your household must also complete self-isolation for 14 days from when you started having symptoms. If your test is negative, you and other household members no longer need to self-isolate
Share contacts: if you test positive for coronavirus, the NHS test and trace service will send you a text or email alert or call you with instructions of how to share details of people with whom you have had close, recent contact and places you have visited. It is important that you respond as soon as possible so that we can give appropriate advice to those who need it. You will be told to do this online via a secure website or you will be called by one of our contract tracers.
- WE AT TIGERS JFC WILL NOT BE PASSING ON ANY DETAILS TO THE NHS TEST AND TRACE PRIMARILY THIS WOULD BE DOWN TO THE INDIVIDUAL WITH SYMPTOMS TO REPORT DIRECT THEY CAN THEN ADVISE THEM THAT THE CLUB HOLD A REGISTER OF ALL ATTENDEES THE TEST AND TRACE DEPARTMENT WOULD THEN NEED TO PROVIDE A DATA PROTECTION RELEASE FORM TO OBTAIN THE RELEVANT INFORMATION.
- The Club has purchased and will provide each manager full PPE gear for emergency situations in case First Aid has to be delivered and where the Social Distance cannot be kept.
- Tigers JFC will supply cleaning equipment in each container for the cleaning of equipment on match days.
- The Club will not provide toilet facilities until September when competitive matches commence. If alternative venues are being used, then please ensure you abide by the facilities guidelines. No indoor venues permitted.
The Venue’s
- Hand sanitisers at entrance and exit once competitive matches start, although users are encouraged to bring their own hand sanitiser, marked with their own name.
- Bin bags will be provided to all managers to ensure all waste is disposed of on the day.
- We will need to review our training sessions and match days to stagger to avoid congestion as much as possible.
- A minimum 10-minute window will need to be put in place to avoid clustering of groups on pitch side or in the car park before/after sessions.
- All users should be encouraged to arrive and leave punctually.
- It is impossible to implement a one-way system at our 3 venues, therefore please ensure you keep to social distancing as much as possible when entering and exiting and the club will try to stagger attendees to avoid congestion.
During Training and Match Play:
- Competitive training is now permitted, with groups limited to a maximum of 30 people, including coaches;All children of primary school age (up to and including year 6) MUST have an adult present for the whole session. All secondary school age players must have an adult fully contactable throughout the session in case the session is cut short or any problems arise.
- Records must be kept of all attendees.
- Coaches must all do a pitch inspection of their individual area and ensure it is safe to play.
- Competitive match play is permitted, with social distancing in place before and after the match, and in any breaks in play.
- Players and officials should sanitise hands before and after a game as well as scheduled breaks throughout a game or training session. Coaches are requested to maintain a strong hand cleaning philosophy before, during and after a session, including during training matches.
- FA guidance indicates that touching the ball with hands should be extremely limited. Each player (except GK) should be encouraged to use feet with limited handling. Balls will be cleaned during and after each session.
- Youth football coaches are encouraged to limit persistent close proximity of participants during match play and training.
- Goal celebrations should be avoided.
- Equipment should not be shared, and goalkeepers should ensure they disinfect their gloves regularly in breaks in training or matches and thoroughly afterwards. Where possible, coaches should only handle equipment in training.
- Where possible, players, coaches and officials should arrive changed and shower at home. Use of changing and shower facilities must follow government advice on the use of indoor facilities, changing rooms and toilets will not be open until the Leagues start in September.
- Participants should follow best practice for travel including minimising use of public transport and walking or cycling if possible. People from a household or support bubble can travel together in a vehicle.
- Each coach must disinfect their own equipment and goals during and after every session. When planning the session’s, the coaches shall consider water breaks and hand sanitising, and ensure that the children still maintain social distance during the break. Coaches are requested to clean any equipment used during the session and ensure that the equipment is not shared between groups without proper cleaning. Bibs may now be used but only if considered essential, and these MUST be washed in between sessions, and no sharing.
- There must always be more than one coach at each session. As per safeguarding guidelines, no coach may train solo at a venue.
RATIO OF COACHES TO PLAYERS:
- Whatever the age of the children and type of activity, a minimum of two FA-DBS checked coaches/adults must always be present.
- Football teams involving players aged 12+ often have a squad of up to 16 players. Therefore, there must always be a ratio of at least one FA-DBS-checked coach per squad and another FA-DBS-checked coach/ adult present .
- Other football formats, namely 5v5, 7v7 and 9v9 involving players aged 6-11 require a higher ratio of staff to squad. Where the children are aged eight or younger in any football activity you will require more staff and a minimum of two FA-DBS-checked coaches/adults must always be present.
- For 2 to 3 years – one adult to every 4 children (1:4)
- For 4 to 8 years – one adult to every 6 children (1:6)
- For 9 to 12 years – one adult to every 8 children (1:8)
- For 13 to 18 years – one adult to every 10 children (1:10)
PLAYERS RESPONSIBILITIES
- Players are requested to maintain a strong hand cleaning philosophy before, during and after each session. Each player must sanitise hands before a training match.
- Players are requested to bring their own named drink bottle and it must not be shared with any other individual.
- Players are requested to observe social distancing when not in a contact match or other game. Before and after the session, during warm up/cool down and during any team talks (no ‘huddles’)
- Players who cannot observe social distancing should not yet return.
- No pre-match handshake and no goal celebrations/ high 5’s etc.
- NO SPITTING is permitted at any time.
- Please make sure that you arrive just in time (no more than 5-10 minutes) for your session and leave promptly after to avoid any overcrowding.
- Please comply with all instructions from your coach and listen carefully.
- Please do not touch the equipment, including balls and cones until instructed by the coach.
- Goalkeeping gloves must be thoroughly cleaned after every session please, no sharing.
PARENTS/CARERS RESPONSIBILITIES
- Any spectators at training sessions & matches (including parents and carers) must be restricted to discrete six-person gathering limits and spread out, in line with wider government guidance, ensuring space for officials, coaches and substitutes.
- Records must be kept of all attendees.
- If your child needs help with shoelaces, GK gloves or other, they must return to parent for this.
- Other equipment must not be touched by spectators, including the ball.
- Please make sure that you arrive just in time (no more than 5-10 minutes) for your session and leave promptly after to avoid any overcrowding. Please also read the FA guidance for parents. Please make sure your child understands the new guidelines.
After training/matches:
- Hands should be washed at the earliest opportunity and personal equipment should be wiped down with a disinfectant
- Unless absolutely necessary participants should take their kit home and wash it themselves or by family members. Post activity showers should be taken at home.
- Everyone must continue to maintain social distancing including in any facilities where groups of people congregate.
- Everyone should leave adhering to the social distance guidelines.
- Anyone who becomes infected after training / matches should report this to NHS Test and Trace system
We thank you for your cooperation at these strange times, whilst following the guidance from the UK Government and The FA, Tigers JFC have worked hard to provide a safe environment for your child’s return to football. We are grateful for your support so far, in our pathway back to ‘normality’.
Lisa
Please note that, at this stage, indoor football and Futsal are not permitted. The FA will look to work with indoor facility providers to develop appropriate guidance for indoor formats as soon as possible.
