ACC releases return to sport COVID-19 Guidelines - Phase 4

The Associated and Catholic Colleges of WA is committed to working with our members to ensure that school sport can recommence as quickly and safely as possible. Following the lifting of restrictions in line with WA’s Phase 4 roadmap, schools can further ease restrictions on school sport  as of the 27^th June 2020. 

The most important aspect of a return to school sport and recreation is the health and welfare of our students, other members of our school communities and external providers.

To help facilitate a safe return process and mitigate the risk of COVID-19, the ACC has developed ACC Sport COVID-19 Safety resource materials; guidelines, plans, checklists and certificates. These documents are in template and generic form so they can be used by schools for their own COVID-19 Safety Planning.

The ACC is recommending that the following steps be enacted to prepare for the recommencement of school sport.

1.   Appoint a School COVID-19 Safety Officer:  To oversee the sport safety planning and implementation for the school. 

2.   Review the ACC COVID-19 Sport Guidelines: The school COVID-19 safety officer, Head of Sport or COVID-19 safety committee should review the ACC Sport and Recreation COVID-19 Safety Guidelines. The guidelines provide a detailed overview of the protocols that should be in place by sport and recreation organisations to ensure a safe return to sport.

3.   Complete and implement the ACC 10 Point Checklist: The 10-point return to school sport checklist should be reviewed and signed off by each school before re-commencing school sport training or matches. The 10 points on the checklist form the basis of the key safety requirements that the school has an obligation to implement.

4.   Safety Plan: The school should consider voluntarily completing a COVID-19 Sport and Recreation Safety Plan and displaying a COVID Safety certificate at school sport venues.

5.  Review your sport safety protocols and plan accordingly. The COVID-19 pandemic is an evolving situation – review your plan regularly and make changes as required.