COVID-19 Update – June 17th
Following the Victorian government’s recent update regarding restrictions on sport and recreation, the UV Return To Play Working Group has reviewed their guidelines for the sport of ultimate in Victoria.
NOTE: This information is now out of date. Please click here to be redirected to the most recent update.
CASUAL THROWING
Casual throwing is encouraged! Ultimate Victoria recommends getting out with a small number of friends and throwing a disc as a means of exercise and socialisation.
PICK-UP GAMES
Pickup games can resume from Monday July 20th. Organisers must submit a COVID-19 Training Plan to Ultimate Victoria prior to any games taking place. Scroll to the bottom of this article for a link to a template.
If university clubs have submitted a return-to-play plan to their universities in order to resume on-campus activities, sharing a copy of that plan with UV will suffice.
LEAGUES
League play can resume on Monday July 20th. League organisers will need to comply with the following requirements.
- Any requirements the league facility owner has in place needs to be met (eg: COVID safety plans)
- If there are multiple timeslots for a league (indoor or outdoor), there must be a minimum 15 minute break between games to allow for player arrival and departure.
- If there are multiple fields at an outdoor league, space between fields should be 10 metres, sideline-to-sideline. If this is not possible, no players or spectators are permitted to congregate in areas between fields.
League participants will need to comply with the following requirements.
- If you are not a registered active player in a game currently being played, you will be classed as a spectator and will need to comply with any Victorian government restrictions regarding the gathering and distancing of sport spectators.
- Playing in multiple games on a single night at a single league location will not be permitted under any circumstances.
- All players must ensure they have a current email address and mobile phone number on their AFDA profile before playing. Please also check with your team captain or admin that they use your current profile when registering you for a league on the Ultimate Central platform.
- Players are not to attend leagues if they are unwell or have displayed COVID-19 symptoms within the previous 14 days.
Any players found violating these requirements will be referred to the UV Return To Play Working Group where they may face sanctions, including suspension of membership.
TOURNAMENTS
Victorian Mixed Ultimate Championships and University Mixed Ultimate Championships will be taking place in September 2020, assuming the current timeline of restriction easing remains in place and no further restrictions are imposed on sporting competition before the dates. Further announcements on these events to come soon.
Clubs wishing to host tournaments before September should contact UV Program Manager Simon Talbot (simon [at] ultimatevictoria.com.au) to discuss any requirements.
CLUB TRAINING
Clubs are allowed to resume training sessions following the submission of a COVID-19 Training Plan to the UV Return To Play Working group (link below).
The key to training under current restrictions is to Get In – Train – Get Out.
- UV recommends creating training groups with a maximum of the current number of participants allowable in outdoor activities by the Victorian government (currently 20 players plus a coach).
- Multiple groups can train at the same venue, provided the area each group is training in is clearly marked out by cones, with at least a 10 metre “buffer” space between areas.
- The members within each training group must stay within their group and its designated area.
- Start and finish times for each group should be staggered to manage entry and exit points and ensure no oversized gatherings occur.
- The training groups should remain consistent from session to session. Individuals who switch between groups risk exposing a greater number of club members to COVID-19 and the requirements of self-isolation should a member of any training group be diagnosed with COVID-19.
- Training should focus on technical drills or group technical drills without physical contact. Match simulation drills (O vs D, or gameplay) are not permitted.
- Socialising (eg: group meals) immediately before or after training sessions is highly discouraged.
- Indoor spaces available to clubs at training venues are to remain off-limits for anything other than hand washing or toilet use.
SOCIAL DISTANCING
- Social distancing measures still apply – 1.5m between training squad members – in all activities.
- If training in a public space, ensure there is plenty of distance between your training squad and other public space users
- Can you throw a disc between other groups or public space users?
- Can you overhear conversations between other groups or public space users?
- Can you keep your belongings away from other groups or public space users?
- Inform all players not to attend training if they are unwell or have displayed COVID-19 symptoms within the previous 14 days. Clubs must insist that anyone with these symptoms leaves the training venue.
HYGIENE PRACTICES
- Discs are not to be shared between training groups at the same venue.
- Discs to be washed and sanitized before and after each training session. This includes discs in a training squad kit bag as well as the discs of individual players.
- Players must have access to hand washing facilities with soap and sanitiser for before, during and after training.
- Do not allow players to share drink bottles, towels or jerseys.
- Players to be encouraged to go straight home after training and have a thorough full body shower with soap.
RECORD KEEPING
- Contact information on attendees, including name, and mobile phone number must be collected and kept for 28 days. Use electronic recording means where practical. Where pen and paper are used, encourage the use of individual pens; provide adequate sanitiser or use one person as the scribe.
- Take a photo of the training squad to assist in any contact tracing in the event a training squad member is diagnosed with COVID-19
- Training groups should keep their bags together so that those people who have the COVIDSafe app installed on their mobile device can recognise other devices with the COVIDSafe app installed and Bluetooth® enabled.
- Regularly review your COVID-19 Training Plan to ensure it is consistent with current directions and advice provided by health authorities.
- Ensure you have a copy of this COVID-19 Training Plan which must be produced if requested from a relevant compliance/enforcement officer. This may include providing an electronic copy.
You can download a template of a COVID-19 Training Plan here
Ultimate Victoria is treating the health and safety of its members and their families very seriously during this time. Just as players are responsible for upholding the rules of the game on the field, we ask that you uphold these rules off the field as well. Any clubs found to be running activities without submitting a COVID-19 Training Plan, violating their plan or any of the above restrictions, may face disciplinary action from Ultimate Victoria.
If you have any questions about any of the recommendations, or the COVID-19 Training Plan please contact UV’s Program Manager Simon Talbot (simon [at] ultimatevictoria.com.au).