Kids’ sport is set to resume but no grandparents and no huddles or high-fives
And only Mum OR Dad can cheer from the sidelines.
As children get back into full-time school life and more social restrictions lift, the next activity set to receive the green light, is team sports.
However, our kids’ sporting games are going to look a bit different post-pandemic.
In new guidelines from Sports Australia, children only be allowed to have one parent attending their sporting matches and grandparents will be told to stay away.
As non-contact sport resumes in Queensland on June 12, also not allowed under the new restrictions will be handshakes, high-fives and huddles.
Sports clubs will need COVID-safe plans whereby sporting equipment and benches and the use of sanitisation stations. A safety manager will be needed to help lower the risk of spreading the virus by following through on the reduction of specators and ensuring social distancing is followed on the sidelines.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said $50m in grants would be given to help clubs prepare for the “new normal.”
“That includes $2,000 funding grants for up to 7,000 clubs state-wide to buy their cleaning equipment and other essentials,” she said.
“So as we carefully start to resume training, sanitising balls, racquets and facilities before and after use is an absolute must to keep everyone and our communities safe.”
Federal guidelines have recommended limits on the number of spectators at games, to one parent and are asking grandparents to not attend.
“It is going to be tough but we have to do it,” said Annastacia.
“What we don’t want to see is large groups of parent congregating as does happen on the side of sporting fields.”
As kids’ get set to resume team sports, they will only be looking to one parent cheering them on from the sidelines.
These new spectator guidelines have divided parents who took to The Today Show‘s Facebook page to raise their concerns.
“Sounds good to me, less parents and grandparents telling the kids what to do with ball, kids might actually be able to play for fun without the sideline spectators taking away their power of decision,” wrote one fan of the restrictions.
“That’s crazy we all live in the same house as the kids so why can’t we both go to watch them play if we social distance from other parents,” pointed out another.
“This is the craziest rule EVER, I’m expected to let my kids play sport (rugby league) tackle other players yet both parents are not allowed to attend to watch and social distance from other parents, yet I can go to a shopping centre where clearly no one is observing the social distancing rules. This makes absolutely no sense and is completely ridiculous,” expressed another parent.
