Following Welsh Government (WG) guidance, the Football Association of Wales (FAW) identified Monday 13th July 2020 as the date when football clubs could return to low-contact, socially distanced training. There is currently no permission for friendly matches or the resumption of competitive football.
Members of the club’s management committee have attended a webinar by the FAW Trust on a “Safer Return to Football” and have been reviewing the protocols set down by the FAW to enable clubs to offer and facilitate safer training for our players at senior and junior (under-15s boys) levels. The club’s management committee has reluctantly decided to suspend minis football at the club for the 2020/21 season.
The FAW protocols require significant work to be carried out by the club behind the scenes in order to be able to resume training and this post is to update our players, coaches, parents and volunteers on the steps we are taking, as well as outlining the protocols that MUST be adhered to at EVERY training session by players, coaches and parents.
The club is also in discussion with Rhondda Cynon Taf Council (RCT) regarding the use of their facilities in line with the protocols. The Council has already informed clubs that facilities in the Borough will not be available before 1st August 2020. We will endeavour to offer a return to training for our players at the earliest opportunity from this date.
The FAW have presented a phased approach for returning to football normality, where it will be possible to train and play football with unrestricted contact as was the norm before the COVID-19 pandemic. The graphic below from the FAW outlines each phase on the path to unrestricted football.
All FAW protocol is in line with Public Health Wales guidance and the phases will be reviewed in line with WG updates on playing recreational sports. The next review will take place on 31st July 2020. We are presently at phase 1.
What have we been doing?
In order to be able to offer a return to football for our players, the club has a number of responsibilities it must first fulfill and report to both the FAW and the local authority. As part of this checklist:
Nigel Wheeler has been appointed as Pontypridd FC’s COVID-19 Compliance Officer and will serve as the point of contact with all stakeholders and relevant parties, as well as ensuring the club’s practice is 100% in line with the FAW protocols.
A COVID-19 Risk Assessment has been completed ahead of the return to training. This has been shared with the local authority facility providers.
This article will serve as notice to all players, coaches, parents and management committee of the protocols that are NECESSARY for football to resume at the club. It is important that ALL players, coaches, parents and officers of Pontypridd FC read this article in full and familiarise themselves with the FAW protocol documentation (attached at the end of this article).
ALL PLAYERS | BEFORE YOU TRAIN
You MUST stay at home if you:
- Have been in contact with a COVID-19 case or suspected COVID-19 case in the last 14 days before training.
- Have been overseas or exposed to someone with COVID-19 within the last 14 days before training.
- Have flu-like symptoms or feel unwell
- Have a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or above.
- Experience the onset of a persistent cough or shortness of breath
- Experience a loss of taste and smell
NB: You are not required to return to training if you are not comfortable or feel it is not safe. Any concerns should be raised with Nigel Wheeler, the club’s COVID-19 Compliance Officer.
Training – Protocols and Expectations (Phase 1)
The maximum number of participants at training is 30 (for a full sized football pitch), which includes players and coaches.
Participants should be split into groups of no more than six and MUST maintain correct social distancing of 2 metres at ALL TIMES.
Access to and from the training area will be co-ordinated and subject to social distancing guidelines. Player arrivals will be timetabled and will be specific to the training venue. Coaches will issue details of these at the relevant times.
When arriving at training it is NECESSARY to maintain correct social distancing. Players, coaches and parents should not congregate in any area and should remain in cars or any allocated waiting spaces until called on to the training area by coaches.
Only essential personnel are permitted on the training area at any time. Essential personnel is limited to players, coaches, qualified first aiders and the COVID-19 compliance officer.
Training will be strictly non-contact and will focus on skill improvement and fitness. There will be no tactical drills or practice games.
Physical contact should be kept to a minimum. No handling of footballs (except GKs using gloves), no hand contacts such as handshakes. Spitting is strictly prohibited. Water bottles and training clothes are not to be shared.
Appropriate hand hygiene should be maintained at all times.
Players should arrive and leave in their training clothing and bring their own water and hand sanitizer. All clothing and equipment should be labelled with the player’s name. Use of showers and toilets will not be permitted at training facilities.
Parents should not remain at the training area when training is taking place. But if it is not possible for parents to leave and return when training finishes they MUST remain in their car at ALL TIMES.
The club management committee thanks the players, coaches and parents for their co-operation.
Additional information
