RETURN TO TRAINING - LEVEL 1

25 May

Dear Player/Parents

As you are aware Sutherland Sharks FC was required to suspend all football related activities as a result of the Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been a very challenging time for the football community and the public in general.

We are pleased to announce that Football NSW has this week given NPL Clubs the go-ahead to recommence their football activities albeit with a number of restrictions that will help provide a safe environment for our players to train in and help prevent any further spread of the COVID-19 disease.

This return to football activities is restricted to training only and as such our coaching department will have suitable drills in place for the players return to the field based upon what is permitted under the return to training guidelines set by FNSW.

To ensure that we meet the requirements the following protocols must be strictly followed without exception:

• If a player or a family member has tested positive to COVID-19 you are not to attend any training until you can demonstrate that you have met all of the governments health and safety requirements allowing you a safe return to social activities. Please contact Paul Smith – President or Rob Sauer – Member Protection if this is the case.
• If a player has any cold and flu symptoms, even the slightest, then the player is not to attend training. If the player has an injury (eg. ankle injury) that would prevent participating in a session, then the player is not to attend training.
• If a coach suspects a player is unwell, is coughing repeatedly, or looking sick at training, the coaches have been instructed to ask the player nicely to remove themselves from training. The player must then produce a doctor’s certificate before they train again. The coach will have the Club’s full support – this is for the protection of everyone even if it is a subjective opinion.
• Only players, coaches, team managers, and officials are permitted to enter Seymour Shaw. This means no parents or guardians are allowed to enter. Do not enter under any circumstances. If you have a question of the club – then please ask your team manager first.
• For monitoring purposes and to abide by new requirements to have a record of attendances. All players will be taken to have attended training, unless a players has been logged into the Team App by a parent as being absent. It is a requirement to put every absence in Team App – regardless of whether you notified your coach or not.
• You must arrive ready to train with your own labelled drink bottle.
• You must not arrive more than 5-10 minutes prior to the start of your session – unless you have to arrive by public transport from a long distance.
• There will be no change room facilities available to comply with new requirements.
• A parent or carer will drop the player off outside the ground and the player will enter via the bridge gate closest to the Boulevarde and then proceed directly to the playing field via the grandstand tunnel and report to your coaches for further instructions. The player will be advised via “Team App” as to which section of the field the player is to wait in.
• At the conclusion of the session the player will exit the ground via the end gate at the southern end of the grandstand and exit the ground via the side gate, the parent or carer will be able to pick you up from the grass playing fields (Seymour 3/4) directly after your session. This gate will be locked until the training session concludes.
• Please see attachment diagram or picture which explains the instructions above.
• Parents must have clear communications with their child in relation to the pick area once a player has left the ground. It is up to the parent or guardian to meet their child at the gate. Whilst you wait outside the gate, you must adhere to social distancing.

All of our coaches and staff have been fully briefed on the Football NSW return to training requirements and will ensure that we provide a safe and secure training facility for your child, it is imperative that everyone does their bit so that we can continue to provide our football activities in a safe manner.

As further developments come to hand our training procedures and protocols will evolve accordingly with a view to getting back to competition play as soon as we are able to, in the meantime lets enjoy getting back on the pitch and developing our football skills.

As a reminder, training starts this Wednesday, 27 May – with the interim training timetable provided in the last Team App message.

Sutherland Sharks FC Committee