Return to Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation – STAGE 2

Premier Jason Kenney announced on Tuesday, June 9th that Alberta will be moving forward with Stage 2 of the provincial relaunch plan on June 12 — one week ahead of schedule. The initial target date for Stage 2 was set for June 19, however, Premier Kenney said due to low COVID-19 case numbers and continued cooperation by Albertans, the province is moving forward with the next phase of its relaunch plan beginning Friday.

Some activities originally planned for Stage 3 of the relaunch have also been moved forward to be incorporated in Stage 2, including indoor recreation, fitness and sports facilities which includes tennis activities.

In addition, Dr. Hinshaw provided additional clarity to Provincial Sport Organizations for resuming operations. As a result, please find some comments below on the Government of Alberta’s Return to Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation – STAGE 2 for Indoor sport, physical activity and recreation, which can be found at this link.

It is essential that members and program participants strictly adhere to the protocols put in place by Alberta Health Services to allow the continued phased resumption of tennis programming in this province. Please do your part by following public health measures.

PLEASE NOTE: All participants should check with their club for programming updates. Club administrators should verify the status of local health orders issued within your municipality by contacting your local municipal sports & recreation consultant.

With the reopening of tennis activities, you may resume doubles play, indoor and outdoor tennis and group lessons, provided public health measures are enforced. This includes but is not limited to:

• Wellness screening protocols. All of our members will be subject to screening upon entry into our facility each time (prior to play). If you experience any symptoms outlined in Appendix A, you will not be permitted to participate.
• Maintaining physical distancing (2 metres at all times).
• Hand sanitization before, during and after play (frequent sanitization will help prevent the spread of COVID-19).

General Considerations for Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Organizations

Mini-leagues and “bubbles”: Cohorting Participants

All aspects of organized sport, physical activity and recreation may proceed (programming, training, practice and competition) if physical distancing is possible.

This includes a return of singles tennis, doubles tennis / group lessons, subject to requirements for maintaining physical distancing (2 metres at all times), facility screening, with set cohorts listed below.

• Please note that NO provincial tournaments or programming is allowed at this time.

In moving forward in Stage 2, responsible screening procedures must be in place and diligently monitored. Each facility (and program) is required to keep track of participants (electronic tracking forms are preferred) and cohorts* data are required to be collected and archived from each club administrating tennis programming for a minimum of 2 weeks.

• If those not participating in physical activity are unable to maintain safe physical distancing, masks should be worn. In sports and activities that generally involve interaction between participants at a distance of less than two-metres, it is recommended that:
  • The activity occur outdoors, or
  • Modification of the activity or sport occur to keep participants at a safe distance.
•  Where sports and activities cannot be moved outdoors or modified to maintain distance, it is essential to limit the number of contacts between different participants. This is done by playing within set cohorts* (e.g., mini-leagues or bubbles with a fixed number of participants).
  • Mini-leagues and bubbles cannot exceed 50 people. This number includes those participants, officials, coaches and trainers who cannot maintain two metres of distance from others at all times. This number does not include parents and spectators.
  • Coaches &/or Officials can interact with multiple cohorts if they can effectively maintain two metres of distance from others at all times and follow public health measures.
• Cohorts, mini-leagues and bubbles should remain together during Stage 2 of Relaunch and only
  play within the same geographical region (e.g., within a county, town or quadrant of a city).

Spectators

• Spectators (excluding parents and guardians where necessary for player support) should be kept out of participant spaces (e.g., fields of play, courts, ice surfaces).
•  The maximum number of spectators is determined by how many people the space can hold while keeping two metres of distance between attendees from different households/cohort families, up to a maximum of 100 persons.
• Unless from the same household, spectators should maintain a minimum two-metre distance from one another at all times, whether the activity is indoor or outdoor.
•  It is strongly recommended that all spectators wear masks, especially in an indoor setting. Cheering and yelling is strongly discouraged at this time as it presents a high risk of spreading droplets.

Competition & Mini League Play

• For those activities where participants are unable to adhere to physical distancing, cohorts of a total of 50 individuals should be formed (mini-league).
  •  Mini-leagues should remain together for the duration of Stage 2 of Relaunch.
  • Mini-leagues allow sport teams to return to a safe level of play, and will help to mitigate risk of widespread transmission by limiting the number of athletes that come within close contact.
  • As mentioned above, Coaches and Officials can interact with multiple cohorts if they can effectively maintain two metres of distance from others at all times and follow public health measures.
• Each mini-league can be comprised of multiple teams, to a maximum of 50 people.
  • Game play between teams must be limited to teams within the same cohort/mini-league
  • Teams in different mini-leagues cannot play each other.
• The 50 person maximum includes coaches/staff, instructors, participants from multiple teams, officials, and volunteers who cannot maintain two metres of distance from others at all times.
• Within each mini league, game play can resume between teams. At least two-metres distancing should be maintained between all when off the field of play (e.g., on benches, during intermission).
  • The two-metre physical distancing rule can be relaxed for participants from the same household.

The complete Government of Alberta’s Return to Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation – STAGE 2 for Indoor sport, physical activity and recreation can be found at this link.

For more information please visit https://www.alberta.ca/biz-connect.aspx here you will find guidance documents for reopening, information on PPE and a searchable FAQ.