Archive for category: Provincial/Club

Hockey Ireland Coronavirus (COVID-19) UPDATE regarding Changes to COVID-19 Restrictions.

4^th June 2021 

The Irish government have issued further updates to the Covid-19 guidelines for Returning to Sport.

The following applies from 07^th June 2021: 

• Outdoor matches may recommence.
• A maximum of 100 may attend organised outdoor events. This includes players, match officials and spectators.
• Individual indoor training and one to one (player and coach) training is permitted. Please see detailed guidelines below for indoor training.

The following applies from 05^th July 2021 (subject to public health guidance): 

• A maximum of 200 may attend organised outdoor events.
• Indoor hockey can recommence in pods of up to 6.

Indoor Training Guidance 

The Sport Ireland Return to Sport Expert Group have issued detailed guidelines for the return of indoor training. These guidelines are expected to remain in place until at least July 05^th 2021 when restrictions may be eased further.

Please note: The following guidelines apply to Republic of Ireland only. For Northern Ireland, please find further details here: Return To Sport | Sport NI

Individual training is defined as: ‘Individual, physically distanced, non-contact activity, completed in a pre-defined area, within a controlled environment and without the sharing of equipment.

The following applies to indoor training:

1. Staggered start and finish times combined with appropriate entry, exit and traffic management protocols to limit the interaction of participants at any one time.
2. Prebooking of activity is essential. This includes the health screening of all participants (including coaches & support personnel). All personnel on-site should be recorded.
3. Reduction in the overall duration of the activity.
4. Participants arrive ready to train and leave immediately (no changing room or shower use).
5. Additional signage, hand sanitisation stations and deep cleaning implemented.
6. No equipment sharing in any circumstances.
7. Activity should take place in a predefined area which is visually marked out and directionally signed.
8. The space required in this area should reflect the nature and intensity of the activity.
9. There should be in excess of 2m social distancing between each of the predefined areas.
10. The Cleaning & Ventilation of facilities should be conducted in accordance with the Government’s most recent Work Safely Protocol. Additional information can also be found in the appendixes of this documents.

One to one (coach and player training – in line with safeguarding requirements – may proceed as follows:

1. Any demonstration of equipment or technique should ensure that a minimum of 2m social distancing is maintained.
2. Individual equipment should not be shared.
3. In the case of fixed equipment, cleaning of such equipment must be completed immediately after demonstration and before the individual participant uses it.
4. There should be no hands-on adjustments or physical contact during training sessions.
5. Coaches and trainers are asked to refer to the HSE guidance on wearing of face coverings, which is available here: When to wear a face covering – HSE.ie

Additional Points:

1. For clubs who wish to undertake one to one or individual training indoors, the above guidelines should incorporate the guidance outlined in this document into their existing Covid 19 Return to Training Policies and Procedures.
2. The guidelines assume an ongoing allowance of indoor activity as dictated by the Public Health Situation and whether sporting facilities are open.
3. The training must be supervised by a branch-registered Club Covid-19 Compliance Officer.

Clubs undertaking indoor activity must:

1. Implement thorough and regular cleaning of frequently touched surfaces. If disinfection of an area is required, it must be performed in addition to cleaning, never as a substitute for cleaning.
2. Ensure contact/touch surfaces such as table tops, door handles and handrails are visibly clean at all times. Additionally, sports equipment should be cleaned before and after use.
3. Provide coaches/ participants with essential cleaning materials to keep their own areas clean (for example wipes/disinfection products, paper towels and waste bins/bags).
4. Records should be maintained for all cleaning.

Hockey Ireland notes confirmation from ROI Government that underage hockey can return to non-contact training from April 26th, the first step on a phased return for hockey at all levels of the game.

The following changes have been made to the Hockey Ireland Covid-19 guidelines given the latest announcement on Covid-19 restrictions made by the Irish (ROI) Government:

• From April 26^th, socially distant non-contact training in pods of 15 (inclusive of the coach) is permitted at all players/teams under 18 in both clubs and schools.  The return of senior hockey training remains under review pending future Government announcements. The exemptions to this are Elite sports*.
• Elite sports are permitted to continue behind closed doors. For Hockey this has been defined as the National Senior Men’s and Women’s Programmes. They are permitted to train and play behind closed doors.

*Please note: This category has been defined by the ‘Return to Sport Expert Group’ which has been established by the ROI government to provide guidance to Ireland’s sporting bodies to prepare for the phased return to sporting activity.

The following is to be noted in relation to Hockey in Northern Ireland:

From 1st April 2021 the regulations will change to permit 10 people from two households to undertake outdoor sporting activities as defined in the regulations. This allows sports such as golf and tennis to resume from this date in small groups of individuals from two households, however club houses and sport facilities including changing rooms, showers, kitchens, meeting rooms must remain closed apart from essential toilet facilities.  Therefore, hockey training and competition at all levels (with the exemption of elite level training) will not be permitted.

The Executive also agreed an indicative date of 12th April 2021 for “Allowing for sports training to resume by sports clubs affiliated with recognised Governing Bodies, in small groups of up to 15 people but with all indoor spaces closed except for essential toilet facilities.”  These relaxations planned for April 12 will be subject to Executive ratification in the week after the Easter weekend.

Ulster Hockey awaits the publication of the regulations and will advise clubs of the requirements for a return to hockey – if permitted on the 12th of April – as soon as it is in a position to do so.

Date: Monday 01/03/2021

Time: 6.30pm to 9.30pm

Venue: Zoom Online

Cost: €20

Recommendations from Sport Ireland are that every club involved with children and young people should appoint a Club Children’s Officer. This person should be child centred in focus and should have as their primary aim the establishment of a child centered ethos within the club. They are the link between the children and the adults in the club and also take responsibility for monitoring and reporting to the Club Management Committee on how club policy etc. impacts on children and their Sports Leaders.

The Club Children’s Officer should have the following functions:

• To promote awareness of the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children’s Sport in Ireland within the club and particularly among the children and their parents/guardians. This could be achieved by the production of information leaflets, the establishment of children’s/age-group specific notice boards and by regular information meetings for the children and their parents/guardians.
• To influence policy and practice within the club in order to prioritise children’s needs.
• To provide an accessible resource to children through the creation of forums.

It is essential that those who wish to attend the Safeguarding 2 Club Children’s Officer (CCO) Training have attended the Safeguarding 1 Awareness/Child Protection Training workshop.

It is recommended to have at least one Club Children’s Officer per club or if there is a large number of both boys and girls in the club, to have two Club Children’s Officers – one male and one female.

Cost:The cost for this course is €20 per person.

How to book: Please email nationalchildrensofficer@hockey..

*A laptop/ipad/smart phone along with a good internet connection is required for this course. 

As demand for places is high, please make every effort to give enough notice of cancellation. Please note that there are no refunds if you fail to attend on the night. 

 

This New Online Autism in Sport workshop will provide participants with an understanding of autism focusing on the delivery of sport. The course content is designed to help participants to recognise and understand key areas of consideration and to look at practical strategies which will help to include people with autism in sport.

Who is this workshop for?

Sports leaders, coaches, volunteers, teachers, principals, special needs assistants (SNAs), parents or anyone who has an interest in making their sport accessible and inclusive for people with Autism.

Topics covered include:

Autism and The Autism Spectrum, Communication, Environments, Understanding Behaviours, The TREE Model and The Autism Passport.

Upcoming course details:

• Next Upcoming Date: 18/01/2021
• Time: 7.00-9.30 pm
• Location: Online Via Zoom
• Cost: €10pp

Please email inclusion@hockey.ie if you would like to book a place on this workshop