Co-curricular - Junior Sport
I hope that everyone has had an enjoyable term break and has come back with renewed energy and enthusiasm. The term break has not delivered the good news we all hoped for. Unfortunately, we still find ourselves having to follow the set restrictions from the NSW Government. This has had implications on sport, in particular with the Junior School Athletics Carnival and Saturday sport.
As you would be aware, the Junior School will hold its annual House Athletics Carnival on Thursday 23 July. The event will still go ahead and will be run in accordance with COVID-19 sport protocols. Unfortunately, this does mean that we will not be permitting parents to spectate during the event. Boys will come to school at normal time, in their Colour House sport uniform and College tracksuit, compete in the carnival and be dismissed at the usual time at the end of school day.
The first round of Saturday sport commences this weekend. With training commencing this week, please remember that the front office will not pass on training gear to boys who have left it at home. Boys are to inform their coach and either a) go home as usual or b) stay and help their coach with the session. In order for the competition to go ahead, IPSHA has set a number of guidelines for all schools that must be followed. Of most importance to families are the following:
- Only one parent or guardian should attend from each family with a student playing. This goes for all IPSHA grounds whether home or away.
- Each team must keep a log in which a roll is marked and records against each student's name any persons in attendance with that student, eg: parent/carer. This will be done by scanning a QR Code, held by the coach and filling in the required fields.
- Sharing/exchanging of personal equipment, clothing or drink bottles is not permitted. All equipment and drink bottles should be clearly labelled.
- Spectators are requested to comply with social distancing guidelines. Please remain a respectful 1.5m – 2.0m apart.
- 'If in Doubt, Sit it Out' - any student, coach, official or parent who has any cold or flu-like symptoms or has knowingly been in recent close contact with a person displaying said symptoms cannot attend any IPSHA NSW event. We have numbers in each team to cope with some absences, so please do your team a favour and stay home if you are not feeling well.
- Participants must be aware of and maintain proper hygiene measures eg, cough and sneeze etiquette, using hand sanitiser/washing hands and only handling your own items. Please use your common sense and follow any instructions given to you by officials at the grounds.
- Participants (including spectators and officials) who have visited Victoria in the past 14 days and/or those who have attended any of the reported case locations listed on the NSW Health website (https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/latest-news-and-updates) are not to attend any Co-curricular activities.
- Toilet facilities will be available on match days. Changerooms may only be available to the First XV and First XI teams. As such, boys are to arrive at their fixture dressed in their match gear and College tracksuit. No other attire is to be worn.
By following these protocols, we give our boys the best chance of having an uninterrupted season in Term 3. Further details of Saturday sport protocols and procedures can be found in Mr Fochesato’s article.
I wish all those involved in Winter sports the best of luck and look forward to hearing the results from the weekend.
John Locke
Junior School Coordinator of Co-curricular