B.C. School Sports (BCSS) will be entering Phase Two of its Return to Sport plan when public schools are slated to open Thursday.
The second of four phases features inter-school activities but only within educational cohorts. It means that reduced physical contact training and friendly competition can take place within the cohorts students are placed in by their school for the delivery of the curriculum.
There will be maximum of 50 participants in any one training area. Approved coaches and staff are permitted in the training zone, but unless they are a teacher in the same educational cohort, are required to maintain a 2m distance.
More than one cohort may practice on the same training area as long as the total number of participants doesn’t exceed 50. There is no sharing of equipment (without cleaning) between the educational cohorts, and social distancing is maintained between students in different cohorts.
BCSS is working hard to obtain permission from the Ministry of Education to move to Stage Three which would see modified inter-school activities. It’s where most club and community sports have been approved to proceed later this month.
“We understand the frustration felt by many that club/community sport is progressing to competition and we in school sport are lagging so far behind. We have continually made this argument to those involved in decision making.
We have many concepts available for Ministry review, however one includes proposing that BC School Sports adopt the already approved framework for club/community sport by classifying our activities into four groups based on risk profiles. We are hopeful we will be able to introduce some inter-school competition, with varying levels of restrictions.”
They are as follows:
Group A Activities - Individual sports that can maintain physical distancing: Aquatics, Badminton, Golf, Gymnastics, Mtn. Biking, Skiing, Snowboard, Track & Field and Tennis.
Group B Activities - Sports that have minimal contact: Curling and Volleyball.
Group C Activities - Sports with frequent or sustained contact: Basketball, Field Hockey, Football, Soccer, Ultimate, Rugby
Group D Activities - Combat Sports: Wrestling.
