Hockey Wales recently released and subsequently updated their post fire-break guidance as PHASE 3C.
PHASE 3C includes the following modifications to prior guidance:
- Option to include 2 x 30 person isolated training groups on the same facility providing facility providers agree
- Organisers such as coaches, officials, managers and physios remain included in the group of 30
- Opportunity to play friendly games v local opposition (including two teams of 14 players + 1 Coach/Official)
Since the release, we have been working to progress the hockey environment in line with the most recent guidance while adopting following aims:
Aim
- Provide players with an opportunity to attend Club (& BUCS) training
- Provide players with an opportunity to access Club (& BUCS) games
- Provide an opportunity for safe progression and regression through the training and playing environments.
- Mitigate risk as far as it is possible while enabling members to experience Club (& BUCS) Hockey as close to the ‘traditional’ club environment as is reasonably safe.
- To maintain our ability to track and trace all possible contacts between members of the environment.
- Move from a ‘completely isolated training group of 30’ to a ‘isolated groups of no more than 30 on the pitch at any one time’
The evidence suggests:
Outdoor transmission is low risk and does not present significant risk to individuals.
- Research Example: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1r9UTIdh_DTHHmq-2Rxz5curdHeN3SM5k/view
- Anecdotal example: Liaison with track and trace through confirmation of local positive cases.
Accurate and sustained adherence to track & trace and mitigation protocols throughout coaching staff, COVID wardens and training groups.
Measures to be adopted:
Therefore, the club, inclusive of BUCS and Senior environments (not including Junior Academy), will adopt the following measures to meet the aforementioned aims and progress in line with Welsh Government and Hockey Wales guidance.
- Each isolated training group should consist of a maximum of 30 players
- An entire match squad (e.g. for weekend friendlies) must consist of players from the same training group of 30
- Players can be part of one Club training group and / or part of one BUCS training group. (e.g. a player may be part of BUCS 3s and Club 2s, or Club 3s and club 4, or solely part of either of those groups)
- Player bubbles – each player will be subject to possible contact with a maximum of 30 people (one training group) or 60 people (two training groups) in a risk assessed and controlled training environment.
- Players will contact 15 external (16 for EHL) players per game. Games will be conducted in line with NGB Guidance, Cardiff & Met HC Operational Plan and Facility Risk Assessments.
- At no point in training or matches should one individual come in close contact with another individual for a prolonged period of time (e.g. less than two meters for 15 minutes)
- It is acknowledged that some training environments may combine two teams, but that player group and therefore match day teams should not exceed a total of 30 players participating at any one time.
- Where player movement is considered from one training / playing group to another (e.g. in an instance of progression from 4th to 3rd team), the approach adopted should ensure participation in the new training environment for a sustained period of time (e.g. one month or more) to reduce the risk to other players.
Membership
- Students – Until now students have been a part of a student only training group (with the exception of BUCS L1) and have therefore only purchased BUCS membership. Students are now required to purchase club membership (student = £65) if they wish to access club hockey training environments and games.
- Junior & Senior – For all junior and senior members who are yet to purchase membership, it is now required for you to access club training environments and games.
Thank for you for your ongoing patience, organisation, support and proactivity in contributing to a safe and supportive club environment.