Covid-19

COVID-19 Risk Assessment for Restarting Youth Football

This risk assessment is in-line with FA’s guidance published 18th July 2020 “Covid-19 Guidance on re-starting outdoor competitive grassroots football”.

Last updated: July 2020:

Prevention

Everyone (participants, managers, coaches and spectators) should self-assess for Covid-19 symptoms before every training session or match.  Anyone who is symptomatic or living in a household with possible or actual Covid-19 infection MUST NOT participate or attend training sessions or matches.

Covid-19 symptoms:

  • A high temperature (above 37.8 degrees Celsius)
  • A new, continuous cough
  • A loss of, or change to, their sense of smell and taste
  • Parents MUST inform St Joseph’s Youth if anyone in their household has been symptomatic or has had a positive Covid-19 test in the last 10 days.  Once 10 days have lapsed, participants and spectators may return to training and/or matches. In addition, any participants who have been asked to isolate by NHS Test and Trace because they are a contact of a known Covid-19 case, must not exercise outside their home or garden or with others.

Participant Requires First Aid or Displays Covid-19 Symptoms

If participant/s discloses feeling unwell with Covid-19 symptoms, parents to be contacted immediately to collect their child/children.  Child/children to be isolated away from other participants until they are collected.

In the unlikely event emergency first aid needs to be administered, the first aider must wear PPE equipment to include face covering and disposable gloves.  All managers have been issues with these items.

Hand sanitizer MUST be used immediately after any contact with a participant who requires first aid.

Should there be a confirmed Covid-19 case training will cease for 10 days for the whole team.

Travel to Training and Matches

All participants and other attendees should follow best practice for travel:

  • Walk or cycle, where possible
  • Household or support bubbles can travel together in a vehicle.
  • Try to share transport with the same people
  • Open windows for ventilation

Hygiene Practice

Each manager has been provided with their own hand sanitizer and are required to inform the Welfare Officers when they need further sanitizer.

Players, managers and coaches MUST sanitize their hands before, during (break in play) and after the training session and match.

Sharing of equipment must be avoided where possible.  Children, where possible, should not handle equipment.  Bibs should only be used once, and not transferred across players, and washed immediately after use.

Equipment is to be regularly wiped down with the appropriate cleaning equipment after every session.

Footballs should be disinfected as often as possible when the ball has been handled.

Goalkeepers should ensure they disinfect their gloves before and after training and matches.

All participants MUST refrain from spitting.

Water bottles should be named and not shared with anyone else, under any circumstance.  Coughing and sneezing should be into the elbow and not into hands.  Any child/children intentionally coughing on another participant, or threatening, to will be removed from the training session immediately and their parent informed. Players should try and ensure they do not touch their face.

DURING TRAINING AND MATCHES

General issues

In outdoor competitive training and matches, physical contact is allowed, but for all other activity (e.g. warmups/cool-downs) the Government guidance on social distancing should be observed:

  • Two-metre social distancing should be observed where possible.
  • Where not possible, ‘one-metre plus’ distancing should be observed.
  • All participants should practise social distancing before and after training sessions and during any breaks.

Competitive matches

Competitive match play is now allowed.

Covid-19 modifications for competitive matches and training matches

  • Players should clean their hands with hand sanitiser before kick-off.
  • Pre-match handshakes should not take place.
  • Social distancing should be observed during team talks.
  • Social distancing should be observed during warm-ups and cool downs.
  • Coaches and substitutes must observe social distancing whilst standing on the sidelines.
  • Social distancing must also be observed during the process of making a substitution.
  • Referees and coaches should encourage players to get on with the game and not take too long when taking free kicks. For example, the setting up of a defensive wall should not be prolonged unnecessarily.
  • Corners should be taken as quickly as possible in order to limit prolonged close marking.
  • Goal posts should be wiped down before matches, after matches and at half time.
  • Goal celebrations should be avoided.
  • Social distancing should be practised when talking to referees and linesmen.
  • Small-sided games should be modified to provide more regular hygiene breaks.
  • At the venues such as Avanti House, players should be discouraged from touching the boards or tackling against them. Referees will consider stopping play when this happens.
  • Coaches should do their best to keep down the instances of players being in close proximity during match play and training.
  • All participants must remain socially distanced during breaks in play such as half-time.
  • Each coach and player should have a separate area on the ground, for example, where they keep their drink and other items. Drinks or other refreshment containers should not be shared in any circumstances.
  • Players and officials should also observe social distancing during sin bin instances.

Our Tea-bar facility at Kenton Recreation may be available on the day of training or a match.  We are operating a strict one-in-one-out policy, screens are in place when purchasing and queueing to use this facility should be socially distanced.

  • Face masks must be worn inside
  • Payments  – Please use the contactless payment terminals
  • Toilets – We are operating a “1 in-1 out”, system

See link below to Harrow Youth Leagues & FA’s Covid FAQs about training and matches:

FA & Harrow Youth League FAQs

Track and Trace

St Joseph’s Youth ’88 FC support the Track and Trace efforts and will enforce the following:

  • Managers MUST collect the names of all players attending each training session and match.
  • Failure to do so may result in future training or matches being cancelled.
  • QR codes available for the NHS Covid19 App

Participant’s information will be held for a minimum of 21 days in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and in line with GDPR principles.

Review Process

Spot checks will be regularly carried out by St Joseph’s Youth ’88FC Covid-19 Officers (Child Welfare Officers) to ensure that all managers and coaches are adhering to the guidance.  If a manager or coach is not adhering to the guidelines, the training session will be stopped immediately.

This link has been issued to all parents, informing them of the guidance.  Consent gained by parents reading this page and allowing their child/children to attend training sessions and matches.

These guidelines will be constantly reviewed, any changes will be communicated to all managers, coaches and participants parents as well as St Joseph’s committee members.

Should managers or coaches have any questions, these should be raised with the Chairman, Secretary and/or Child Welfare Officers.

Safeguarding

All St Joseph’s Youth managers and coaches hold a valid and current CRC (Criminal Record Check), and have undertaken the necessary safeguarding training.  There will be at least one First Aider at every training session.  Parent helpers or other volunteers are not permitted to assist until they have undergone the necessary CRC check and safeguarding training.

Parents will be aware that the period of isolation may have resulted in their child/children becoming anxious or unsure as to whether to resume football.  Parents should only support their child/children’s return to football when they feel confident to do so.  If parents have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our Child Welfare Officers on the following numbers or email address:

welfare@stjosephsfc.com

Nathan Dinham – 07808 158284

Outcome of the Risk Assessment

St Joseph’s Youth ’88 FC have assessed the risks and put measures in place in order to reduce the risk of Covid-19 so far as is reasonably practical.

DISCLAIMER

This guidance is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice or replace any Government or PHE advice; nor does it provide any specific commentary or advice on health-related issues. While efforts have been taken to ensure the accuracy of this information at the time of publication, the reader is reminded to check the Government website to obtain the most up-to-date information regarding social distancing and any other Government measures.