Football training to restart

Tuesday 02 June 2020

Adults are able to return to football training again, however the guidance for youth football is likely to prevent local clubs from offering training sessions for under 18s for the time being.

The Guernsey Football Association has been in contact with local clubs as they start to think about the start of the 2020/2021 season.

Training sessions for adults will be able to recommence as part of the new Phase 4 guidance, as long as certain conditions are met.

Following discussion with Public Health, it has been established that youth football would only be possible if training sessions were limited to children in the same age group at the same school.

"During the discussions with Dr Brink it was confirmed that this applies to all youth football (U18 down) and clubs are therefore, unable to organise training sessions for youth teams that have players from more than one school and one age band," GFA CEO Gary Roberts wrote to clubs.

"This is obviously going to be very restrictive and likely prevent all clubs from offering training sessions for youth teams until this position is reviewed.

Pictured: Youth football is very unlikely to restart in any shape or form until a later phase in the exit strategy. 

"We have also been advised that this restriction applies to U18 players being able to train with senior teams. In effect, any training sessions that club offer from the beginning of Phase 4 must be limited to players over the age of 18."

Training sessions full adults are to be restricted to a maximum of 30 people on a site at any one time. 

Physical contact within training sessions will not be allowed at this stage. Footballs can be shared as part of passing drills in sessions, on the condition that they are adequately sanitised before and after each session. Other equipment such as bibs should not be used and shared. 

Other guidance given to clubs as part of Guernsey's very own 'Project Restart' is as follows:

• Complete a risk assessment as required by the SoG before beginning any training commences. (This should be shared with all club officials)
• Establish a process to maintain registers for training sessions
• Register as a controlled environment (if your club will be able to comply with the 1m social distancing)
• Ensure the club has adequate supplies of hand wash and sanitiser for equipment