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Below should answer all your questions on what is happening for our 2021 Hockey Season. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
We will be back to play as soon as we can following our latest lockdown. We are currently updating our procedures and protocols following recommendations from Hockey NZ, Sport NZ and the government.
We have put in place the same three areas we had in the past and setting up the sanitising stations in the facility.
There will be clear up to date guideline posters when you enter the facility.
2021 Competition Key Dates:
Please refer further below a draft “new rules proposed” document that HNZ-Colin French has developed in conjunction with key people from our community.
HNZ and all 32 Associations around the country have been meeting weekly working collaboratively during this challenging time. HNZ leaderships, support and guidance have been outstanding.
Find attached FIH guidance on return to play from Covid-19. We believe we have most of this collectively covered with our approach.
We have made the decision to divide the facility in six main areas as follow:
AREA 1=Cello 1.(QR CODE + Manual System)
AREA 2=Tiger Turf 2.(QR CODE + Manual System)
AREA 3=Miller 3 .(QR CODE + Manual System)
AREA 4=Harbour 4 .(QR CODE + Manual System)
AREA 5=Harbour 5 .(QR CODE + Manual System)
AREA 6=Village Green .(QR CODE + Manual System)
We encourage every member to register before entering each area.
QR Code is a recommended system implemented at our facility. We encourage every member to register just before enter our different areas at the facility. Also a manual system is provided at each dugout and entrance for those ones that don’t have access to an smart phone.
Community hockey is being reintroduced in a cautious and methodical manner, based on the best available evidence to optimise participant and community safety. In order to be aligned to Hockey’s overarching “return to play” considerations; the following rule changes have been proposed to come into effect immediately:
Spitting and bushman nose blowing (blowing your nose without a handkerchief or tissue etc) is a practice that unfortunately occurs in our sport and must stop as it poses a significant risk to other participants.
New Rule:
Umpiring Guidance/tips:
Apply this rule consistently to all participants (i.e. no exceptions). Safety is always the key consideration. Ensure players and team management are aware of new rule changes before starting a match.
It is probable that in some cases technical benches, suspension seating (or similar) may not be in use. Accordingly, in these situations suspended players will be allowed to serve their suspension in their respective team dug outs where required at certain turf venues. All other existing suspension rules are to apply.
Application of Rules
When umpiring hockey, our 2 key pillars are to keep the game fair and keep the game safe. As well as the technical appreciation of a rule, it is just as important to understand the intent of the rule to ensure the best practical implementation. Apply common sense, context, and a consistent application of the rules at all times.
Under the current Covid-19 environment, wherever practical the safety aspect now needs to be extended to include new procedures to reduce contact by players and participants to an absolute minimum. All participants have a personal responsibility to identify and adhere to best health and safety protocol’s pre, during, and post a hockey match. Accordingly, the following measures are mandatory:
All protective equipment, including face masks, gloves, (and any other defensive PC equipment to be used) are not to be shared under any circumstances. Accordingly, defenders at penalty corners will need to be nominated and will need to have their own identified equipment to be allocated and worn solely by themselves.
All Penalty Corner equipment shall be cleaned and sanitised prior to and post each match.
No goalkeeping gear is to be shared during a match under any circumstances. In the event of a goalkeeper (injury or otherwise) needing to be replaced during a match, if no additional goalkeeper or goalkeeping gear is available, teams will need to revert to playing with a full complement of field players (e.g. 6 aside, 11 aside, etc.). All goalkeeping gear shall be cleaned and sanitized prior to and post every match.
No individual players gear (sticks, shin pads, gloves) is to be shared under any circumstances. Mouthguards obviously should not also be shared, and players are strongly recommended to keep mouthguards in their mouth during the entirety of the match. Removal of mouthguards on the turf needs to be reduced to an absolute bare minimum. Mouthguards should be cleaned at home/away from the turf venue prior to and post every match.
Individual players are strongly recommended to clean all their equipment (water bottles, mouthguards, face masks, gloves, etc.) at home/away from their respective hockey venue wherever practical (both prior to and after each match). Where required, Associations will have designated areas for cleaning of players equipment.
We all know that these are no longer socially acceptable. However, the acknowledgment of teammates and opponents is an important part of our sport. As such all participants should be strongly encouraged to promote the “hockey handshake” as per the following link. We know many do this already but let’s get it out there.
No rule changes proposed; however, to minimize contact the following protocols are strongly recommended:
We also recommend that umpires and team management review and understand rules that apply to injuries and blood protocols, and also to check in with your Associations and turf venue to ensure that local procedures are in place and to have an awareness of what these protocols and guidelines are.
To minimize the number of touches/contacts to hockey balls, we recommend:
Where a coin toss is required (e.g. starting a game, starting shootouts etc.), then the coin should be tossed by one umpire with a team captain/representative to call accordingly.
The use, format, and completion of match cards will differ within Associations. Consider arrangements that will again limit touches/contacts by individuals such as:
Match cards, coin, hockey balls, hockey sticks, goals, face masks, boxes, shin pads, mouth guards, gloves, goal keeping gear, water bottles, injuries, blood, suspensions, dugouts.
