The pandemic,
lockdown and scare around it changed the way we did things, even how
we lived. Difficult as it was adjusting to the new normal of Covid-19
times, looks like coming out of it now is going to be even more
difficult.
As states prepare
to reopen, slowly initiating people back to the life that was,
there’s a lot of anxiety around it. For some, there’s still scare
in the world out there, they aren’t ready yet to go out, while for
some, they can’t wait enough. They are just so eager to get back
that their enthusiasm may come at the cost of safety, least
precautions.
For those
managing youth sports, managing the anxiety and ensuring a smooth and
safe comeback may be a whole different level of complexity. They have
to start with bringing parents to an agreement that it
is safe out there now. That
said, they also have to keep a certain degree of fear injected such
that the reassurance does not border with an insouciant attitude,
especially towards safety. Then they have to manage the different
forms of anxiety the kids may be going through.
In the middle of
all this anxiety mania, the one thing that cannot be side-lined at
any cost is the safety. As you plan to re-enter, here are some
essentials you need to be mindful of:
Social
Distancing
We may not heard
of the term ‘social distancing’ in the past, but now this has
become the universal norm defining lives across the globe. The Centre
for Disease Control and Prevention has clearly defined the minimum
distance of six feet between two people. This means sports would have
to do away with high-fives, fist-bumps, handshakes and physical
contact of any kind. This also means parents cannot afford to have
carpools anymore. Most importantly, it means that sports clubs and
coaches would have to design training programs that keep kids
engaged, build up on their game skills, still managing the six-feet
distance criterion.
PPE
Now that the WHO
has confirmed that the virus is airborne, safety equipment becomes an
absolute essential. Every player, coach, manager, staff member must
have their Personal Protective Equipment on at all times. While the
specifics of the recommended PPE may change as per exposure, the bare
minimum includes face be covered with masks and shields, gloves etc.
Make sure all the protective gear is sanitized after every use, and
washing hands is more than a practice, it becomes a habit.
Screening
From temperature
checks to Covid tests on experiencing symptoms, feeling unwell and/or
coming in contact or close proximity of a positive case,
testing/screening for Covid needs to be a must. Every
club/team/organization should create a SOP for the same.
The Balancing
Act
We may be
planning re-entry, but we are not one hundred percent ready. Before
taking a full-fledged dive, it is advisable that clubs try the
virtual plus physical training model. Having a day or two of physical
training initially and rest of days as virtual sessions, may be a
good way to start. The virtual sessions can be scheduled on
InstaTeam, just like the way games and practices were scheduled
before the pandemic. This will give a team feel while making it
easier for coaches to plan, schedule and conduct the virtual
sessions.
These are
unprecedented times, and adjustments may continue to come. The
important part is we move on with what is and make the most of it.
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