Message to the Brunswick Zebras Community

13^th June, 2020 

Returning to Training

We are finally able to get teams back to training, we have prepared a health plan and we expect to restart next week. We are waiting for a final sign off to our plan from the Moreland Council. We will commence training at Balfe and Sumner Park to ensure we can meet the requirements of the health plan and we can control numbers.

We will notify coaches and managers - as soon as we have the sign-off.

Please let your coach or manager know if you intend to return this year. Players will need to register and pay. However, if the season does not happen the Club will be rebating fees or providing a credit for next year. We would love everyone to return. If you are currently in difficult financial circumstances, please contact Robyn (brunswickzebrasfc@gmail.com) so we can work something out.

As a Club, our duty of care is to our community to ensure that we keep everyone safe during this pandemic. So, we have established a COVID officer for each team. Teams without a COVID Officer will not be able to train. Please follow their instructions.

 

Information sheets have been prepared and will be made available for players, parents, carers, coaches, team managers and Covid Officers to ensure we can return safely.
 

 

Restrictions

 

We are expecting that after the 22^nd June 2020, there will be a further easing of restrictions.  Football Victoria has provided some indicative dates for the start of the season in early July and a completion date of the 18^th October.

The current restrictions mean:

 

• Up to 20 people can participate in group sport and exercise activities. We can split Balfe and Sumner Park into two and allow 40 players plus coaches over the entire ground.
• Sport and exercise activities are only allowed if players can keep their distance (at least 1.5 metres apart) and there is no contact or competition.
• Access to clubrooms IS NOT permitted.

 

Moreland Council

 

Moreland Council and Mayor Cr Lambros Tapinos have been incredibly supportive. Council has waived fees for the use of the grounds, and they have provided $1,000 towards hand sanitizers. Moreland Council has also announced $380,000 towards the upgrade of Sumner Park in this year’s budget. We are still waiting for a response to our submission from the State Government.

 

Fees and rebates

 

Regardless of what happens to the season, the Club will make a substantial loss - with a number of fixed costs and no canteen and sponsorship income. Some of that loss will be met by our financial reserves but that ability to carry losses is limited.

We will be rebating fees to those that choose not to return or if the season does not happen. If there are other saving made in case of a shortened season, we will pass these on to teams and players. Football Victoria takes a proportion of the registration fees, and we will be seeking a reimbursement from them of their share.
 

 

Saturday Skillz

 

For those who wish to participate in Saturday Skillz, we are working towards ways to make this happen.  We are hopeful that we will be able to run an abbreviated version in Term 3, we will let you know more when possible.

 

Registration

Everyone who wishes to participate in Season 2020 at Brunswick Zebras MUST register.  This includes ALL players, Volunteers, Coaches and Covid Officers.  You can register here if you have not yet done so.
 
 
Finally, it should be understood that first and foremost, Brunswick Zebras, as a community club have endeavoured to continue to allow all of our members who want to play competitive football in 2020 are provided the opportunity to do so. This has necessitated aligning teams with known resources and competitions. There are a lot of variables that we still simply have no current knowledge of, however at the same time we are required by Football Victoria to commit to entering teams by Monday. Your assistance in making clear your intentions to your Coach and/or Team Manager would be appreciated as soon as possible if you have not already done so.
 
Thank you
 
Carlo Carli
President