The Government roadmap says that people will be able to take part in formally organised outdoor sports from 29 March and the corresponding England Athletics guidelines indicates that qualified coaches can offer coached sessions for up to 12 athletes in a Covid 19 secure environment (essentially the arrangements allowed in the autumn of 2020 before the Christmas / New Year tier 4 / lockdown).
The Eagles Coaching Team has consulted with the Covid 19 team and the Committee and has decided to offer coached sessions from the first possible date of 29 March rather than waiting to see how use of the parks and other areas will be impacted by school holidays, other people going out more because of rule of 6 and the like which would lose us several weeks. Our experience is that members of the public tend to respect the training space and not go into it once it has been defined and we can always cancel on the day if there are problems.
Details of coached sessions
In addition to sessions at Lammas Park, Churchfields Recreation Ground and Blondin Park, the coaching team is pleased to announce a pilot for our first midweek evening session under Covid 19 restrictions. The pilot will take place at West Walk on Thursday 1 April at 7pm with 8 athletes.
The full list of options available for the booking period Mon 29 March to Saturday 10 April is set out below (please click on links to see separate events on Eventbrite - please choose only ONE from the options available over that period):
Mon 29 Mar 10am to 11am Lammas Park - intervals with Wei Hei Kipling (booking deadline Sat 27 Mar at 11.30pm) https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lammas-intervals-mon-29-mar-tickets-147277550117
Thu 1 Apr 7pm to 8pm PILOT West Walk - hills with Rhiannon Williams (booking deadline Tue 30 Mar at 11.30pm https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pilot-west-walk-hills-thu-1-apr-tickets-147280123815
Sat 3 Apr 8.30am to 9.30am Churchfields - intervals with Rachel Job (booking deadline Thu 1 Apr at 11.30pm) https://www.eventbrite.com/e/churchfields-intervals-sat-3-apr-tickets-147281299331
Mon 5 Apr 10am to 11am Lammas Park - intervals with Wei Hei Kipling (booking deadline Sat 3 Apr at 11.30pm) https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lammas-intervals-mon-5-apr-tickets-147278888119
Sat 10 Apr 8.15am to 9.15am Blondin Park - Intervals with Dineke Austin (booking deadline Thu 8 Apr at 11.30pm) https://www.eventbrite.com/e/blondin-intervals-sat-10-apr-tickets-147281971341
How we’re mitigating Covid-19 risks
The Eagles Coaches and the Committee have been working behind the scenes to see what we might be able to offer while minimising the risk of Covid-19 transmission. This has involved the setting up of a Covid 19 team, and the writing of a Covid 19 plan, risk registers and risk assessments to identify Covid 19 secure environments.
How you can safely participate
The demands of Covid-19 planning to allow us even to attempt to offer any training sessions together with the size of the club means that we will need to ask people:
To book a session in advance.
To supply your contact details for track and trace (and also in case a session needs to be cancelled or arrangements changed)
To answer a pre-activity health questionnaire included in the booking – and not to book or attend the session if you are not able to answer the questions positively
To note and follow arrangements set out by the Coach to enable social distancing during the session including overtaking lanes where offered.
To treat members of the public with courtesy which may include slowing down or even stopping in your training if a member of the public comes too close to the area being used for the Club session.
Not to socialise together before or after the session
More details of the questions, notes and disclaimers are set out in the appendix.
How to book a session
We are aiming to offer coached sessions on a regular basis, subject to the availability of coaches as well as changes in Government, London, Local Authority and England Athletics guidance, which can change at short notice.
The sessions will be booked via Eventbrite - the link for each event is set out above. Tickets are limited and issued as one per booking. Deadline for booking subject to availability is 11.30pm two days before a session takes place (so Thursday 11.30pm for a Saturday session and Saturday 11.30pm for a Monday session).
To enable as many members as possible to attend a session, we will be offering the sessions in two week booking periods and members are asked to book only one session when the sessions are first advertised. If places are still available for any session a week after this first advertisement (as notified in your News from the Nest email), then members will be allowed to book a second session in the booking period to encourage all places to be taken. (If this all sounds confusing, please feel free to check arrangements by emailing coaching@ealingeagles.com).
If you do book a session but then decide that you are unable to attend, there are two preferred ways for you to cancel.
If you are able to cancel on Eventbrite yourself, that releases the space as soon as possible in case someone else can book it and will automatically inform the club that you have cancelled.
However, as that may require an Eventbrite account - the alternative is to email coaching@ealingeagles.com (messaging Wei Hei Kipling on facebook runs the risk of the message being overlooked and emailing info@ealingeagles.com adds an extra step in requiring the email to be forwarded to coaching@ealingeagles.com ).
And finally, we ask that you do not go to a session meeting point if you have not been able to book a place. It will not be possible for you to join on the day. Your presence may mean that the session is not Covid 19 secure.
If you have any questions, please contact coaching@ealingeagles.com
Appendix
During the booking, the pre-activity health questionnaire will ask you to state:
"I do not display any of the typical symptoms of active Covid-19 infection (fever, cough persisting more than 4 hours, loss of taste and smell, etc - pls check official guidance for details)"
"I have not tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 7 days"
"I have followed all social distancing guidelines set by the government or appropriate for my occupation for the last 7 days."
If this changes, please could you contact coaching@ealingeagles.com asap.If you can not meet the disclaimers above you should not book a session.
In addition, the following disclaimers and notes will apply regarding the coached sessions offered by the Club – if you are not willing to accept these disclaimers and notes, please do not book a session.
I agree that attending this session is done so at my own risk.
I understand that the session may be cancelled at short notice if the Coach is unwell and no substitute Coach is available or if the risks at the time of the session are considered too great.
I will arrive dressed to run.
I will keep to a minimum what I bring to the session. I will make arrangements to look after my own valuables (keys, card, phone) and will not expect anyone else to look after them.
I intend to follow all social distancing guidance with anyone who is not a part of my own household during the Club’s coached session – so no physical greeting, hi-fiving or supporting one another during stretches etc.
As well as following the social distancing guidelines between people, I will not touch with my hands anything belonging to anyone else (including any cones) and will not share drinks, snacks or hand sanitiser.
I will note and follow arrangements set out by the Coach to enable social distancing during the session including overtaking lanes where offered.
The session will be taking place in a public area and I will treat members of the public with courtesy which may include slowing down or even stopping in my training if a member of the public comes too close to the area being used for the Club session.
If I show symptoms of Covid 19 within 48 hours of attending the session, I will inform the Coach / Coaching coordinator on coaching@ealingeagles.com