SMP & SMFC Guidance on Covid19 Restrictions

If young people have to travel by car to SMP activities with people outside their household or ‘support bubble’, they should try to make the journey with the same people each time. All passengers must wear a face covering. Staggered arrival times remain appropriate.

Players, coaches and match officials must now arrive changed for training / matches. There will be no changing room available for SMFC matches until further notice.

Spectators must be restricted to six-person limits and spread out, ensuring space for officials, coaches and substitutes. (Government guidance).

Two-metre social distancing should still be observed where possible. Where not possible, ‘one-metre-plus’ distancing should be observed.

SMP coaches and volunteers will give verbal reinforcement about social distancing at the end of each session / match.

All youth football clubs must now identify a Covid-19 officer who will be responsible for developing a Covid-19 plan and risk assessment prior to the restart of any activity. The Covid19 Officer for SMFC is Lee Dema – 07944 101 134 / leedema@aol.com

• Pre-match handshake should not happen
• Players will be asked to hand-sanitise before kick-off;
• Team talk huddles should not take place.
• Team talks can take place, as long as social distancing is observed and player stations rules applied
• Warm-ups/cool-downs should always observe social distancing;
• Set plays –free kicks: referees and coaches should encourage players to get on with the game and not unnecessarily prolong set play set-up, such as defensive walls;
• Set plays –corners should also be taken promptly to limit prolonged close marking and goal posts should be wiped down before matches, after matches and at half time.
• Goal celebrations should be avoided;
• Small-sided football should be modified to provide more regular hygiene breaks in activity.
• Youth football coaches are encouraged to limit persistent close proximity of participants during match play (where young participants may be more likely to cluster around the ball) and provide regular hygiene breaks in activity.
• If a player gets injured, a member of their household can assist if present and appropriate, but others (including match officials and teammates and coaches) will still need to socially distance unless a life-or limb-threatening injury necessitates emergency care.
• SMFC first-aider must be equipped with the appropriate PPE (including face coverings) to protect themselves and others if they need to compromise social-distancing guidelines to provide medical assistance.

Maximum number of participants and coaches per SMP session is 30.

Personal hand sanitisers and face masks will be distributed to all SMP staff and volunteers. Sanitisers are attached to staff lanyards and worn around the neck at all times.

Frequent cleaning and disinfecting of objects – including all footballs – and surfaces that are touched regularly, particularly in areas of high use in the pavilion such as door handles, light switches, using appropriate cleaning products and methods.

Players to avoid handling footballs, except goalkeepers wearing gloves. Balls to be disinfected after throw-ins (matches).

Players should take individual kits home to wash it themselves. Where kit has to be shared or kept together, each person handling it must wash or sanitise their hands immediately after and appropriate cleaning arrangements for the kit must be made.

There will be no further use of SMP water bottles until life returns to normal. Participants are therefore encouraged to bring their own water, this will be outlined and communicated to parents/guardians via SMP website, Facebook page and WhatsApp groups.

Anyone displaying Covid19 symptoms (a new continuous cough or a high temperature) during activities, must be sent home immediately and advised to follow the government’s Stay at Home guidance.

Any unwell person sent home is to self-isolate for 10 days & should get a test straight away and not more than 5 days after symptoms started. Household members of the unwell person must self-isolate for 14 days.

If a young person is awaiting collection in Brockwell Park, they should be moved to the pavilion where they can be isolated behind a closed door, depending on the age of the child and with appropriate adult supervision.
The pavilion main door must be left open for ventilation.

PPE should be worn by staff caring for the young person while they await collection if a distance of 2 metres cannot be maintained (such as for a very young child or a child with complex needs).

If a member of a group tests positive to having Covid19, the group will be notified and shut down immediately.

All meals served at Brockwell Park will be take-away only and come prepacked in containers until further notice.