Stage 1 post-lockdown guidelines for clubs located in Tasmania

These guidelines are based on Department of Health and Human Services advice and are consistent with the principles announced by Sport Australia on 9 May 2020.

Provided players comply with these guidelines, they may return to the courts to play croquet.

1    Who can play?

Please only play with others if you are in good health.

There is no explicit ban on players over 70. If you are suffering from a condition that puts you at risk, please stay away or arrange to practise on your own. Be careful to observe the hygiene requirements.

If you have any of the symptoms of COVID-19, please get tested and stay away until you are cleared. If the test is positive, please inform the club, and of course stay away until you are cleared.

2    How many people can play and how is attendance recorded?

Up to ten people may play at a time, provided everyone observes social distancing and hygiene rules. No spectators.

Keep an attendance register with the playing equipment (not further inside the clubhouse). We recommend that in order to assist with contact tracing, one person in each group records everyone's name, arrival and leaving times. Ensure that contact details for those attending are readily available.

3    What play is allowed

Social singles and doubles are allowed, provided everyone observes social distancing and hygiene.

No competitive play - this means no internal competitions, no tournaments, no inter-club competitions.

4    Social distancing and hygiene

Everyone is to keep at least 1.5 metres between themselves and anyone else.

If your toilet and hand basin are in a restricted space, consider arrangements to ensure social distancing when they are in use.

Hygiene involves:

• washing hands thoroughly (palms, backs of hands, between fingers, fingertips, thumbs, wrists) with soap or sanitiser - when you arrive, and after you have touched something that someone else may have touched.
• keep your hands away from your face (we are told people normally touch their faces 23 times an hour).
• clean items that you have touched that other people will use after you (see below)
• if First Aid is needed, use single-use gloves (see below)

5    Hygiene equipment

The club should ensure that players can access

• soap and sanitiser
• paper towels for drying hands
• alcohol wipes for cleaning equipment
• disinfectant in toilet
• single-use gloves (kept near the First Aid kit and the toilet)

• Personal Protection Equipment for use if there is a need for someone to give First Aid: mask, protective goggles, disposable

6    Playing Equipment

Use your own mallet if possible.

For any playing session, arrange for each item of shared equipment to be handled by only one person. For example, the attendance register, the hoops, the peg, and any other shared equipment such as the trolley or corner pegs and lines.

If you have to use a club mallet, put out hoops / peg, get out balls, or handle other equipment:

• sanitise your hands (washing with soap is fine)
• wipe down the equipment with sanitiser
• sanitise your hands again
• sanitise all equipment at the end of the session.
• It is recommended that balls are cleaned in a bucket of warm/hot water with dishwashing liquid. (Using sanitiser may fade the colour of older balls.) They need to be cleaned properly in this mixture, wiped all over with a brush or rag. This will kill bacteria and viruses that may be on the balls. They can then be left to dry. Players could wear gloves whilst performing this task, if gloves are not used then the player must wash their hands with soap for at least 20-30 seconds.
• In Golf Croquet, each ball should normally be handled only by the person playing However, if need be, other players could use their foot or mallet to move it.

In Association Croquet and Ricochet, the striker may only handle their own ball. When other balls need to be moved or positioned, this should be done with the foot or mallet.

7    First Aid

Use disposable (single use) gloves to open the First Aid kit and deal with the emergency. Use the Personal Protection Equipment as required.

Afterwards, discard the disposable items and wash your hands before closing the First Aid kit.

8    Club and Committee Meetings

Meetings of up to 10 people, held in the open air, are now allowed. Please keep a record of who attends.

Social distancing and hygiene rules must be observed. The clubrooms are to be closed except for access to the toilet and the First Aid Kit / defibrillator if need be.

9    Travel

You are now allowed to drive and/or use public transport to get to a venue for sport or recreation. Social distancing is advised. This means it would be preferable for people to travel only with people they share a house with.

10    Documenting what you are doing

Your local authority may ask for documentation showing what you are doing to comply with these guidelines.

This could include:

• displaying the guidelines at the club, where members attending can see them
• writing to all members listing what is required
• establishing a booking system to ensure that no more than ten people attend at once
• keeping an attendance record which shows when people came and went
• maintaining a folder with receipts for relevant equipment
• designating one or more members to take responsibility for implementing different aspects of the guidelines, g. managing the booking system.