Preparing for Interschool Athletic Activity Competitions

When planning for interschool athletic competitions, review the following:

• Ministry of Education, COVID-19: Health, safety and operational guidance for schools (2021-2022) Version 2 (updated August 13, 2021);
• School board policies and procedures as well as local public health unit policy and direction related to COVID-19 safety for school-based physical activities;
• The activity/sport pages (elementary, secondary) of the Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education (OPASSE) for the minimum safety requirements in interschool athletic activities; and
• Provincial Sport Organizations (PSOs) COVID-19 Safety Considerations, where appropriate.

Pre-Season/Competitions/Event Planning Considerations

When establishing COVID-19 safety procedures prior to the start of a sport season, consider:

• Communication:
  • Communicate with student/parents about:
    • when masking is required (for example, during tryouts, prior to competitions, in the change room, during the event, after the competition).
    • sport/activity specific information regarding protective factors (for example, respiratory etiquette, hand hygiene, physical distancing).
    • process for communicating safety concerns or if they feel COVID-19 procedures are not being followed.
    • COVID-19 safety protocols for specific facilities using an electronic communication procedure.
    • Spectator policy (for example, if spectators will be allowed for indoor/outdoor events, safety protocols required when they are)
• Arrival/Departure: a process for the entry/exit of visiting teams, coaches, officials, spectators.
• Scheduling: plan schedules so that the arrival and departure of teams do not overlap and there is enough time in between events/games to decrease/avoid congregation of teams/students
• Student Transportation: be aware of and follow school board policy/procedures for student transportation (bus, cars, taxis, transit) for transportation to and from games/events.
• Spectators: be aware of and follow school board policy/procedure for spectators (for example, indoor/outdoor events, capacity within different facilities).
• Emergency/Contingency Planning: contingency plans for outdoor events that may be impacted by severe weather (for example, lightning, heat) that maintain a COVID-19 safe environment.

Practices, Games, Competitions/Event Considerations

When implementing COVID-19 safety procedures for competitions/events, consider:

• Prevention Strategies:
  • Communication: communicate with visitors (for example, visiting team/coaches, spectators, officials/referees), in advance of games/competitions about entrance procedure, availability of change rooms, screening protocols.
  • Respiratory Etiquette: reinforce respiratory etiquette during practices/games/competitions (for example, avoiding yelling by using a microphone/voice amplifier at practices, using an electronic whistle that does not require blowing into them).
  • Congregation: avoid/minimize team congregations during practices/games/competitions (for example, using coaching tools that do not encourage physical gatherings (for example, large white boards, distancing during huddles) and establish a process to limit opportunities for students to gather before, during and after competitions (for example, scoring area, between games/matches).
  • Arrival/Departure: scheduling games/competitions so individuals/teams have space for distancing. Identify a meeting space where teams can meet prior to games/competitions.
• Facilities:
  • School: provide signs to guide individuals as to the location of the competition, washrooms and other areas being used.
  • Community/3rd Party: confirm with community/3rd party facility that they meet school board’s COVID-19 safety policies/procedures.
  • Capacity: monitor that the number of individuals in the school/facility (for example, student participants, coaches, officials/referees, volunteers, spectators) meet the COVID-19 requirements for indoor/outdoor capacity.
  • Spectators: identify and follow school board policy regarding spectators (for example, requirements for masking, physical distancing, limitations on capacity at a facility).
  • Hand Hygiene: Provide hand sanitizer at the front entrance of the school and the game/competition area.
  • Change Rooms: review that the change room areas being used provide adequate space for the number of students on the team to change and for teams to meet during breaks.
• Equipment
  • Sports Equipment: establish a process for students to store and access protective equipment (for example, football, cricket) and complete regular safety checks and cleaning/disinfecting as required.
  • Cleaning Equipment: establish a process to clean/disinfect sporting equipment that is considered high-touch surfaces (for example, benches)
• Games/Competitions
  • Allocation of Team Space: provide adequate space for each individual/team to congregate before, during and after a game/competition (for example, change room facilities, meeting area for strategy, warm-ups).
  • Athletes Not Participating: consider having athletes not participating in an event/competition (for example, on the bench, waiting for the start of a game/match) wear a mask until they are ready to compete.
  • Visitors (for example, visiting team/coaches, spectators, officials/referees): monitoring the check-in/check-out procedures for all visitors to the school (for example, screening, masking)
  • Congregation:
    • Avoid/minimize the congregating of individuals/teams during competitions (for example, traditional handshakes, team huddles).
    • Use electronic scoring tools to avoid athletes and spectators from congregating in one area during competitions/events.
  • Hydration: reminding students to bring their own self-identified water bottles to all practices, games/competitions/events.
  • Food: in cases where food/beverages need to be provided, follow school board/school COVID-19 safety procedures (limit contact with items, use hand sanitizer).

Post-Season/Competitions/Event Planning Considerations

To avoid congregations of students, coaches, spectators at events/competitions, consider:

• Electronic Communication: post information regarding the competition online (for example, standings, results)
• Awards: have the award ceremony online, if an award ceremony is required, modifying the number of participants at the ceremony at one time (for example, only allow students receiving awards to attend, stagger awards to limit the number of people)