Princes Park Touch

Princes Park, Carlton

President:	Peter Shaw
Contact Email:	info@princesparktouch.com
Contact Number:	0414 315 957
Version:	4.00
Document Authors:	Peter Shaw
Date:	31/10/2021

Introduction

The purpose of this COVID-19 Safety Plan (Plan) is to provide an overarching plan for Princes Park Touch Association to support its members and participants in the staged resumption of community sport and club activities.

The arrangements set out in this Plan are intended to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 among members, participants, coaches, officials, administrators/volunteers, visitors, families and the broader community. The Plan provides the framework to govern the general operation of the Princes Park Touch, any facilities it controls, the behaviour of all members and participants and the monitoring and reporting of the health of attendees at Princes Park Touch’s facilities.

This Plan includes, but is not limited to, the conduct of:

1. competitive play (sport operations)
2. facility management and supporting operations (facility operations).

At all times the Plan is subject to all regulations, guidelines and directions of government and public health authorities.

Key Principles

This Plan is based on the Victorian State Government’s Community Sport and Recreation COVIDSafe Plan (Victorian Guidelines) 

The Plan also accepts as key principles that:

• The health and safety of members, participants, coaches, officials, administrators/volunteers, visitors, families and the broader community is the number one priority;
• Members, participants, coaches, officials, administrators/volunteers, families and the broader community need to be engaged and briefed on Princes Park Touch’s return to sport plans;
• Facilities are assessed and appropriate plans are developed to accommodate upgraded hygiene protocols, physical distancing and other measures to mitigate the risk of transmission of COVID-19;
• Competition cannot resume until the arrangements for sport operations and facility operations are finalised and approved; and
• At every stage of the return to sport process PPT must consider and apply all applicable State and Territory Government and local restrictions and regulations. PPT needs to be prepared for any localised outbreak at our programs, within our competitions or in the local community.

Responsibilities under this Plan

Princes Park Touch retains the overall responsibility for the effective management and implementation of the return to sport activities and operations outlined in this Plan.

The Committee of Princes Park Touch has delegated the preparation and implementation of the plan to Peter Shaw. He is also responsible for revising the Plan as required, ensuring it reflects up to date information from government and public health officials.

Princes Park Touch expects all members, participants, coaches, officials, administrative staff and volunteers to:

• Comply with the health directions of government and public health authorities as issued from time to time;
• Understand and act in accordance with this Plan as amended from time to time;
• Comply with any testing and precautionary measures implemented by Princes Park Touch;
• Act with honesty and integrity in regard to the state of their personal health and any potential symptoms; and
• Monitor their health and take a cautious approach to self-isolation and reporting of potential symptoms.

Return to Sport Arrangements

As at the date of this Plan, participants are planning to begin playing competitive sport at our association. Therefore stakeholder, including council, are provided a new document to support that activity at the time.

Specific playing arrangements

Under the rules community sport may resume but it should minimise risk of transmission, have rules about use of indoor facilities, and maintain adequate records.

As such PPT will ensure that:

1. Teams playing have no more than 20 players in attendance, this will include spectators. Touch is 6 on the field plus unlimited substitutes so this is possible (but unlikely). Therefore teams will need to be advised to bring no more than 4 subs.
2. In order to keep the groups separate players will be instructed that they are not to play for multiple teams over the night. This is already restricted but will be strictly banned over the period of current restrictions.
3. PPT will ensure clear communication that those who are unwell should not attend. Further all PPT officials will be briefed to monitor participant health. Any suspected cases of COVID19 will be advised to vacate and seek immediate testing and/or treatment and the authorities notified.
4. PPT will brief all participants on their personal hygiene obligations, continuously via digital channels, and TFA COVID19 information sheets will displayed in the A frames next to each field. This will include advise to avoid physical greetings (i.e. hand shaking, high fives etc.) and avoid coughing, clearing nose, spitting etc.
5. PPT will provide a sanitisation station, next to the field, and ensure that all participants use it before commencing
6. PPT will sanitise balls between games. If clash jerseys are use they will be laundered every week by PPT and not shared during the night.
7. PPT will ensure all participants use the Princes Park Touch app to check in before playing.
8. PPT will not use any indoor facilities with the exception of toilets and the storage room (for the use of the ground controller/team) during this period. Usage will be restricted in all cases to ensure there are not multiple people inside at once.
9. PPT will remind anyone who is using an indoor facility that they must also check into that facility using the Victorian Covidsafe app and QR code displayed.
10. PPT will ensure that, excepting toilet access, no other access to the pavilions is allowed. The only exception being the designated ground control team, who also may access the storage room.
11. PPT will ensure its ground ground control team are fully vaccinated, maintain a record of that status, and ensure that only the ground control team can access the storage room or any other indoor facility it controls (excepting toilets).
12. PPT will appoint and have in attendance a covid marshal to monitor and ensure compliance with the above during game nights.