We are aiming to provide as much youth rugby activity as we safely can in the 2020/21 season, in accordance with the RFU Road Map for a phased return to rugby and our own Risk Assessment.

This means modifying training activities and additional hygiene measures; key points are presently (for Stage D1 on the Road Map, as at 31 March 2021) as below. These may be amplified with squad-specific guidance.

 Before coming to training you must please:

1. Confirm your child’s Availability for this weekend’s training event on the Teamsnap app  – simply indicate them as “Going” with a green tick for this weekend. This is to help us keep a register and meet our  track and trace obligations;
2. Complete the very short Health Self Assessment for your child on Teamsnap on the morning of training, before setting out. This asks you to confirm key questions that they are well, not showing any COVID symptoms, and not required to self-isolate as a result of a positive test in the family groups etc, or quarantined. Clearly if family members do show any COVID symptoms, or you are quarantined as a result of recent travel, we obviously need you not to come to Barnes training. You can find the Team Health check by logging into Teamsnap, click on Schedule and then on this weekend’s training event and under the event Details you will see a Team Health check, which will only be available to open on the morning of training;
3. Ensure players are in clean kit, with hands washed just before they leave home;
4. Bring normal equipment: water bottle (ideally labelled); boots and mouthguard for Under 9 and above. Apart from the very youngest groups (U5/6), we discourage any snacks this season, for hygiene reasons.
5. Maintain social distancing until training starts;

 At training:

1. Avoid large groups around the pavilions – go straight to your age group;
2. Distancing should be maintained before training, during briefings, breaks and warm ups;
3. Understand that kit in use will be limited and contact rugby is restricted. The exception is that under 9s and above may engage in smaller group limited contact training for short spells, but only as your coach will direct;
4. Use the Hand Sanitiser provided at the breaks every 15 minutes;
5. Please do not touch the kit provided eg the spare balls not in use, cones etc;
6. Leave any required  first aid and player assistance to parents, designated first aiders and medically-trained personnel;

7. Spectators are generally not presently permitted to attend sports events, each  player is allowed to have one parent or carer attending for safeguarding purposes – but they must maintain social distancing. We ask that parents please respect the spirit in which grassroots sport has been able to return, and do not gather socially on the  side-lines. To this end, for the older minis, Under 9 and above, we are Ok for you to leave your child under coaches’ supervision during training provided you clearly check them in and out with the team manager, so that we know who is not accompanied by an adult. For younger minis we will assume an adult is present pitchside, as normal.

   
   
   After training:
8. Maintain social distancing from the end of training, including stopping  the children playing games, sharing rugby balls etc with other players;
9. Keep any training bib your child has used and been asked to take home, wash it and return it next week;
10. Should adults or children present at training subsequently show any COVID-19 symptoms, or receive a positive test result, with 48 hours of the training event, please contact your applicable squad manager without delay, so that we can take any appropriate actions in consultation with the health authorities and RFU.