Dear Lions Players and Parents:
Thank you for your support of Cochrane Lions Football and your patience as we organize our season to comply with Alberta Health Services and Football Alberta's health and safety protocols for the protection of our players.
Our main priority is the well-being of our players, physically, mentally and emotionally. We recognize the need for young people to come together, be a part of a team and exercise and have fun with others.
At this time, AHS has not moved past Stage 2 for athletics (no regular league play) and our leagues (CBFA, CPWFA, Calgary Atom Association) are not allowing player to player contact at this time. As such, we have decided to move forward with a football season in a modified format that will emphasize fitness, skill development and learning the basics of football while eliminating player to player contact, in order to minimize the risk of injury or illness.
We are reducing our registration fees and will be issuing refunds in the next week. It is our intention to charge $100 per player, in order to cover the cost of Football Alberta insurance, field use and an increase in hygiene and sanitation products for our players, coaches and parents.
The Atom season will begin in the third week of August.
The Peewee and Bantam season will begin in the second week of August.
Head Coaches will be emailing you details of practice time and frequency as well as details of their plans for the season this weekend. The practice protocols will be shared with you at your team's first team/parent meeting but can also be found on our website, just below.
It is also important to note that under Stage 2 guidelines from AHS, youth must choose ONE sport at the moment for cohorting purposes. Athletes are not allowed to participate in football and hockey or any other large sport or social gathering. If your son/daughter wants to play hockey, they must sit out for 14 days prior to starting the hockey season. We are required to ask on a regular basis whether or not you are playing another sport as we prepare for the upcoming season.
We appreciate your understanding and support.
Cochrane Lions Football
ALBERTA RE-OPENING STAGE 2 (as of June 18, 2020):
Football Re-Opening in Alberta - RETURN TO PLAY GUIDELINES INFORMATION
During Stage 2 teams may register and commence regular activities with the following restrictions:
- They must have no more than 50 people involved in team activities. This group of people will be known as the “team/cohort” and include all possible members of the team such as players, coaches, trainers, equipment managers, general managers, etc. Larger organizations that may have registration numbers and coaching/support staff exceeding 50 people must divide into two (or more) groups during this stage.
- No competitions or other interactions with other teams/cohorts will be permitted during this Stage. Only training camps, skill development and system implementations within the team/cohort will be permitted at Stage 2. Competitions will be allowed but only within the team/cohort (see the Stay and Play guidelines below).
- No member of your team/cohort may be a part of any other sport related team/cohort/camp during this stage. This includes summer sports camps of any kind. Should teams/cohorts wish to have their players involved in such camps, they will have to wait until the conclusion of those camps/cohorts before resuming any other team.
- Teams/cohorts wishing competition at this Stage may enter into “Stay and Play” measures that will allow competition, but only within the teams themselves.
- Tackle teams may issue equipment to the players in this Stage.
- The ASAA Board of Directors has cancelled the Season of Play for the remainder of June 2020. High School football’s may proceed under the Football Alberta Rules and Guidelines of this Stage within this document but they must receive approval from their Superintendents and Principals to do so as well as follow the ASAA Policies on Seasons of Play which will not open until August 16, 2020 at the earliest.
June 18th - Update from Alberta Government Return to Play Team
- Latest guidance from AHS state “If an individual wishes to change cohorts, they should not participate in a new sports or recreation cohort activity for 14 days (this is the incubation period of the virus).” For example: If a player is playing soccer/rugby/baseball or another sport until August 1st, he/she should not play football until August 15th. The player does not need to quarantine or self-isolate at home, they should just not join another cohort team for 14 days.
- Individuals may participate in other sports or skill development camps (even with shared equipment) OUTSIDE of their team cohort, IF maintaining physical distancing of 2 metres at all times. This includes throwing a footballs and sharing other equipment. There is an expectation that shared equipment would be disinfected often, especially between user groups to mitigate possible virus transmission. For example: A Bantam Football player who is cohorting with his local team in July & August IS able to attend a Skill Development Camp specifically designed for Quarterbacks and Receivers including throwing a football to each other IF the camp maintains physical distancing of 2 metres at all times.
June 15th - Clarifications to the Football Re-Opening Guidelines
- Coach Maximum: The statemenPage 6) referring to 5 Coaches per team is in reference to an option of creating multiple 6-A-Side teams within one 50 person co-hort. If you choose another way of doing things you can have as many Coaches and Support Staff you want within your 50 person cohort.
- Gloves: The initial Return to Play Guidelines (Page 5) included a recommendation that all personnel wear football gloves. In discussion with doctors from Alberta Health Services it has been determined that gloves are no better or worse than exposed hands. Both gloves or hands would need to be cleaned with hand sanitizer post practice as the virus can exist on either and gloves provide not additional level of protection in that area. Therefore, Football Alberta will leave the recommendation for gloves in the document but it is not mandatory for participation. All support staff such as athletic therapists or trainers should still wear latex gloves and PPE’s when dealing with participants.
- Membership Payment: Football Alberta will be charging you based on 50% of the normal registration numbers and will determine final numbers in the fall. Players must be registered with our office before any team activities can resume and payment must be made within the 2 weeks following your start date.
- Appendix E has been added from the ASAA in regards to High School Seasons of Play.
CALGARY BANTAM FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION COVID-19 SAFETY MANUAL
HOW TO RENEW MEMBERSHIP & INSURANCE
2020 AGM presentation can be found here.
