Preparation

Consider the following sample strategies to support your school board/school planning for COVID-19 safety in interschool athletic activities:

• Guiding Documents, Direction, and Organizations: Be aware of the COVID-19 safety requirements and recommendaitons specific to interschool athletic activities, including:
  • school board policies and procedures related to COVID-19 safety for school-based physical activities;
  • school board direction related to capacity of facilities (for example, indoor/outdoor, spectators);
  • the interschool activity/sport pages (elementary, secondary) of the Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education (OPASSE) for the minimum requirements for safety standards;
  • outside service providers being used as part of the curricular (health and physical education) program (for example local recreation complex, hockey arena, swimming pool); and
  • OFSAA event protocols (secondary).
• COVID-19 safety procedures/direction: School boards and local public health units are encouraged to establish a process to discuss and inform COVID-19 safety procedures for schools. Considerations may include:
  • COVID-19 safety procedures for community facilities that are used to host interschool athletic activities (for example, local arena, community facility);
  • conditions that may impact participation in interschool athletic activities (for example, current COVID-19 conditions in a community/school);
  • strategies and protective measures (for example, distancing, masking) that should be used for different elements of interschool athletic activities (for example, tryouts, practices, transportation, games/competitions);
  • facility capacity for games/competitions and spectator/visitor protocols;
  • strategies to establish a culture of safety mindedness through the identification of potential risks and risk treatment strategies;
  • alignment of COVID-19 safety practices with current safety standards being used;
  • inspection of equipment/facilities that may not have been recently used; and
  • additional COVID-19 safety concerns that might be identified throughout the implementation of interschool athletic activities.
• Student Needs: COVID-19 may impact the full participation of some students in interschool athletic activities. Considerations may include:
  • a plan to support a safe return to interschool athletic activities that is developmentally appropriate for students (for example, physical conditioning, skill development, game skills and strategies);
  • students’ feelings about returning to interschool athletic activities and their readiness to participate;
  • a process that includes opportunities for students to increase confidence, readiness to participate, and feel physically and emotionally prepared; and
  • strategies necessary for students with medical conditions that can be affected by COVID-19 (for example, asthma, diabetes, anaphylaxis, allergies).
• Consistent Practices: (Note: school boards/athletic associations should work together to establish roles and responsibilities for hosting an interschool event/competition and for visiting another school or facility.) Consistent COVID-19 safety practices and procedures for interschool athletic activities can support a safe learning environment. Considerations may include:
  • working collaboratively within the school (for example, school administrator, HPE teachers, coaches, coach liaisons (teacher-supervisor), and secondary school department heads) to establish practices;
  • develop and communicate COVID-19 safety practices for each facility (for example, safe entering and exiting, availability of hand washing/sanitizing facilities, use of change rooms);
  • safety practices that limit the transmission of COVID-19 (for example, cohorting, ventilation, masking, physical distancing, hand and respiratory hygiene);
  • ongoing opportunities for staff and students to identify concerns and provide input related to the COVID-19 safety practices;
  • engage students throughout the process (for example, discussions, decision making process, ongoing input); and
  • consistent roles and responsibilities for the host and visiting coaches, students and spectators (for example, change room availability, drop-ff and pick-up of students, transportation).
• Screening and Contact Tracing: Establish and maintain screening and contact tracing procedures. Considerations may include:
  • following the school board/athletic association policies and processes for screening and contact tracing for home and visiting teams (for example, pre-competition screening practices, maintaining a record of individuals at each game).
  • identifying an area/room to serve as the designated space to isolate students or staff/visitors who become ill (or have symptoms of COVID19) during a competition/game.

Communication

Ongoing communication is an important part of establishing a COVID-19 safe environment for interschool athletic activities. Considerations may include:

• Individuals responsible for interschool athletic activites (school administrators, coaches and coach liaison (teacher-supervisor), secondary school department heads, athletic directors, and convenors): maintaining an ongoing dialogue will help to reinforce the safety practices and maintain a COVID-19 safe learning environment. Topics may include:
  • student and parent/guardian concerns regarding returning to interschool athletic activities and strategies to address concerns;
  • administrator, teacher, coach and coach liaison (teacher-supervisor) concerns regarding the implementation of interschool athletic activities;
  • potential impact of the new COVID-19 safety measures (processes and procedures) on the delivery of interschool athletic activities;
  • current practices that are effective and challenges that coaches, coach liaisons (teacher-supervisor) and students are experiencing; and
  • the procedures that will be followed for screening and contact tracing if an individual tests positive for COVID-19 (for example, student, staff, official/referee, coach from a visiting school, scorekeeper).
• Students: school administrators, teachers, secondary school department heads, coaches should work together to engage students and establish ongoing communication. Topics may include:
  • exit/entrance to home/visiting schools and facilities;
  • strategies to avoid congregation at competitions;
  • roles and responsibilities related to COVID-19 safety (for example, hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette);
  • strategies to communicate when students are concerned about their safety (for example, physically, emotionally and socially);
  • strategies to communicate any COVID-19 safety concerns; and
  • the procedures that will be followed for student screening and contact tracing if a student develops symptoms while at an activity, and when an individual (student, staff, official/referee, score keeper, coach from a visiting school) tests positive for COVID-19.
• Parent/Guardians: school administrators, teachers, secondary school department heads, coaches, coach liaisons (teacher supervisors), secondary school athletic directors, and convenors should work together to establish ongoing communication with parents/guardians. Topics may include:
  • activity selection: the types of activities (low-contact and high-contact) that will be included as part of the interschool athletic activities and where they will be located (outdoors/indoors);
  • masking: the masking requirements for student, coaches, spectators, officials/referees at different facilities;
  • hydration: procedures for hydration (for example, use of personal water bottles, fountains);
  • transportation (for example buses, taxis, car-pooling): procedures for student transportation for interschool athletic activities;
  • spectators: policy to identify the spectator capacity of a venue and who can be in attendance at training, practices, and competitions;
  • screening: procedures that will be followed for screening and contact tracing for students, coaches, referees, officials, scorekeepers, visiting teams (including coaches), and spectators;
• Coaches: establishing and maintaining ongoing communication with coaches between schools (for example, online network, coaches’ meetings), including:
  • having school boards/athletic associations/athletic directors/convenors schedule coaches’ meetings prior to the start of each season to review key COVID-19 safety practices and procedures; and
  • establish a network to communicate best practices, answer questions and address any concerns that arise (for example, changes that may occur during the season).