How exciting it was to have our junior domestic competition back! Thanks to the teams that shared photos, it was wonderful to see the happy faces and our players back playing the sport we love.
We have been working with our schools to get our teams training. The good news is that we will be able to commence training from this week at St Christopher’s Primary School and Strathmore Secondary College provided certain conditions are met. Teams will be able to resume once the club has confirmed they have met all necessary requirements. The bad news is that we are still working with Keilor Heights Primary School to make an appropriate arrangement (refer below)
SOME TEAMS WILL BE ABLE TO COMMENCE TRAINING FROM MONDAY 15 NOVEMBER 2021
In summary:
- Training can resume from Monday 15 November 2021 provided certain conditions are met at:
- St Christopher’s Primary School
- Strathmore Secondary College
- COVID Training Protocols: conditions that must be met:
- Only coaches, BSO’s and registered players can attend training. Parents are not to attend training unless fulfilling the role of coach or BSO. Exemptions will only be made in extenuating circumstances and must be approved by the club committee.
- If unwell, participants are not to attend training. If a player is thought to be unwell, the BSO will isolate the player, and contact parent to pick them up immediately.
- All participants who are 16 years or older must be fully vaccinated to attend training. Each team will be required to complete and provide a register confirming that vaccination status of these participants.
- The coach, team managers and BSOs must be volunteer compliant.
- All attending training must QR code on entry, whenever possible. BSOs will also take a manual attendance record and provide to the club’s training coordinator.
- Masks must always be worn indoors by those over 12 years of age unless medically exempt. Players and coaches are exempt while on court participating in an exertive role.
- Players must bring their own personal equipment, labelled with their name. No sharing of personal items such as water bottles and towels.
Sanitisation will be required on entry. - Teams are not to enter the training venue without their team’s BSO and not before the other teams have vacated the court.
- Where possible, windows and doors should be opened to enhance airflow.
- Coaches should take team meetings / discussions outside, where possible.
- Teams must immediately vacate the court and venue at the completion of training.
- The BSO must ensure that all high touch areas are wiped down after use and in between groups.
- Your coach/team manager will confirm if your team can resume training. The club will send them an email detailing what actions are required before they can commence training.
THE BSO/COVID MARSHALL
- The requirement for the BSO at training:
- Compliance with the club’s Covid Safety Plan; and
- From a Child Safe perspective that there is always more than 1 adult present at training
- Each team must have a BSO (Bio Safety Officer/Covid Marshall), where a team has one coach, the coach cannot perform dual roles (i.e., cannot be both the coach and BSO).
- The BSO must be in attendance for the entire training session, a team cannot enter the venue without the BSO.
- BSO’s only have a role to perform at our training sessions. The responsibility at KBA games falls to the KBA staff.
- Some teams have 2 BSO’s nominated who share the role. The team manager can also be the BSO, if desired.
- If training with another team, the role can be shared across both teams.
- If the BSO cannot make training, training will need to be cancelled unless another volunteer who has been confirmed by the club as meeting all requirements is available to attend in their place.
The role of the BSO:
- No one is to enter the training venue without the BSO.
- The BSO and team are not to enter until the prior team has exited the venue.
- BSO escorts players in and out of the training venue (according to agreed directions with the venue e.g., separate entry and exit)
- BSO to monitor the entrances and ensure all participants check-in, manually record who attends, and provide a report of attendees at the conclusion of each session to the club’s training coordinator.
- BSO to ensure any COVID restrictions are followed (e.g., masks and sanitisation)
- BSO to remain at entire training session
- Supervise sanitising (hands and balls)
- If the BSO or coach thinks a player is unwell, isolate the player, and contact parent to pick them up immediately.
COACHES, TEAM MANAGERS AND BSO’s
Coaches, team managers and BSOs will need to comply with all volunteer requirements prior to returning to training:
- WWCC (unless exemption – teacher (VIT) or Police officer
- Member Protection Statutory Declaration required
- Covid-19 ICT training certificate to be provided (only takes a few minutes to complete)
VACCINATION STATUS: ALL PARTICIPANTS 16 YEARS +
- All participants aged 16 or older must be vaccinated
- The team manager/BSO will be required to complete a register for each person 16+ attending training confirming their vaccination status. Copy of the register will need to be held by the BSO at training and a copy provided to the club.
WHY ARE WE NOT RETURNING TO TRAIN AT KHPS YET
KHPS has requested that we provide the digital vaccination certificate for each participant who is 16 years +.
Basketball Victoria have advised the following in relation to the request for provision of the digital certificate:
“…the request for a physical copy of the certificate and then to store it is not required and actively discouraged. It is satisfactory to sight the certificate and record that it has been sighted and then store just that information.”
We have had discussions with the school, but they will not accept a register which confirms the status of vaccination. We will continue to work with them and Basketball Victoria, in the hope that a solution will be found.
TRAINING OPTIONS FOR TEAMS WHO ARE SCHEDULED TO TRAIN AT KHPS
There are some vacancies at St Christopher’s Primary School and Strathmore Secondary College. These will be offered to teams on a first in basis. We also have use of outside courts at St Christopher’s Primary School. Teams will need to contact Damien Pimpini for further information and to book into an alternate option.
We are extremely excited to have basketball back and cannot wait to see you all on the courts soon!
