SHOALHAVEN District Football Association players will be allowed to return to the field from Friday after Football NSW decided to lift its suspension on training.
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On Thursday, Football NSW made its first step to competition returning in 2020, by allowing modified training to recommence.
"It is required that all training be conducted in accordance with the public health order available on the NSW Government website," a Football NSW spokesperson said.
"To support our participants, associations and clubs, in considering their return to training, Football NSW has produced a set of recommendations in the form of return to training guidelines."
Under the aforementioned guidelines, modified training, which should include regular breaks for hand sanitisation, can involve:
- training to be conducted in small groups (no more than 10 players and/or other personnel in total) - with a maximum of 40 people (broken up into four groups) on the field at once.
- social distancing of 1.5 metres between players.
- spacing so there is no more than one person per four square metres.
- only non-contact skill training drills - passing, shooting, headers.
- some sharing of sporting equipment such as kicking a football, use of a skipping rope, weights and agility equipment.
At this stage, no matches of any sort or contact drills are permitted.
"We are engaging with the NSW Government as to when we may be able return to competitive play and management is currently developing a set of 'return to play' guidelines which we will shortly forward to the appropriate authorities," a Football NSW spokesperson said.
"We remain committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure competitive play can resume as soon as possible.
"Associations and clubs who are leaseholders at their training venues are encouraged to engage with their councils regarding access to venues and any conditions they may have in relation to that access."
More information on football's return to training can be found here.