COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions - Netball NSW
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COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions
Last Updated Tuesday 5 May 2020
SUSPENSION OF ALL NETBALL ACTIVITIES
When is netball suspended to?
Netball NSW Competitions and community netball has been suspended until at least 29 June 2020 in
line with the NSW Public Health Order (COVID-19 Restrictions on Gathering and Movement), unless
revoked earlier. This is an extension to the original date of 2 May 2020 which addressed in a statement
by Netball NSW on the evening of 16 March 2020.
This remains a temporary measure and we remain committed to resuming netball as soon as possible.
We are conscious that everyone wants to play again and we are aiming to get back out on court when
it is deemed safe to do so.
At this stage Netball NSW is planning for a July re-start of activity. Further advice regarding any change
to this will be provided as and when it comes to hand.
What information has been used to form the decision to suspend netball?
Netball NSW is taking its advice from both the Federal and State Governments, and their respective
Health Agencies and Chief Medical Officers. The netball community is being represented by and led by
our national governing body, Netball Australia which is communicating directly with the Federal
Government.
This is an unprecedented public health situation and Netball NSW will follow the instructions of the
Federal and State Governments. Associations and Clubs should understand and comply with the
Federal and State Government’s social distancing protocols and other measures that have been put in
place.
Why has netball made this decision?
Netball is determined to be part of the whole of community response to slow the spread of COVID-19
and in doing so, help the broader community and our health systems cope with this emergency. We
are united across our sport in making hard decisions necessary to protect the health and wellbeing of
the broader netball family and everyone involved.
Given the suspension of netball to 29 June 2020, can I continue to play or train for netball?
No, you can’t. All Netball NSW competitions and training, and those of affiliated Associations and Clubs,
have been suspended until at least 29 June 2020 in line with the Public Health Order preventing groups
of people gathering.
Netball NSW COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions 1How can I keep fit for netball during the suspension? Netball Australia has announced it has partnered with netball fitness organisation NETFIT Netball to deliver live and free online netball workouts and programs to netballers. The collaboration will see the netball community get free access to live online work-outs delivered by elite netballers, as well as health, fitness, nutrition and wellbeing sessions. For more information and to sign up, please go to www.netfitnetball.com.au REGISTRATION AND FEES What happens to my registration fees? Netball is currently suspended, not cancelled. At this stage, the suspension of netball activity is for a period of time only and Netball NSW and its affiliated Associations are working on ways to get as much netball played as possible in 2020. We are delaying the start of the season (or postponing competitions that have already commenced), we are not cancelling the season. As we are hopeful of having netball played in the second half of the year Netball NSW’s view is that it would be premature for refunds of registration fees to be processed at this time. This is a position consistent with other netball state bodies across Australia and the vast majority of other winter sports at present, as we all try to work towards the best possible season in the circumstances. Your patience and understanding in the interim as we deal with these unprecedented events is greatly appreciated. What is happening to the registration fees that go to the Associations, Netball NSW and NA? All organisations within our netball community have incurred expenditure already this year getting ready for the season although a ball may not have been thrown yet. All organisations are working to ensure that we’re ready to play when it’s safe. These costs have to be considered and recouped. Any refund process will be complex and difficult, so we want to ensure that if it is ultimately required we do it once, we do it properly and we do it in a way which means we safeguard the entire netball ecosystem to the best of our ability. We know not everyone will agree with this position at present but we believe that it remains the best current course of action for netball in NSW as a whole. So, at this time, we ask you to be patient. Let’s wait and see if we can get on the court, once we get the go ahead. If that situation doesn’t arise, then yes, we will inform everyone about refunds. We need to make sure that when netball and life in Australia returns to normal, that we have a sport, Associations, Clubs and an infrastructure that will allow us all to continue to play. Can I still register to play in 2020? Absolutely. Many Associations and Clubs will welcome more players and are still taking registrations – please contact your local Association or Club directly. Netball NSW COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions 2
If I haven’t registered yet, can I still use my Active Kids Voucher? Yes. Claim your voucher here. I’ve already registered, what happens to the Active Kids Voucher I used to pay registration? Once an Active Kids Voucher has been used to reduce a junior player’s registration fee (by $100) the funds are provided to the relevant Club and/or Association. An Active Kids Voucher can only be used once and cannot be cancelled or returned to be used elsewhere after it has been used. Can the Active Kids Voucher be refunded to a parent? No. It has been confirmed by the NSW Government that the $100 Active Kids Voucher money used by a parent to partially offset registration fees cannot, under any circumstances, be returned as cash. What is Netball Australia’s position on Suncorp NetSetGo? At the moment, Suncorp NetSetGO programs will be postponed until a later date. The timeframes for recommencing the traditional delivery of the Suncorp NetSetGO program are unclear at this stage and as with the general suspension of netball activities, we will consider advice from Governments and Health Agencies when deciding on a recommencement. To ensure the Suncorp NetSetGO program is continued throughout the year, Netball Australia are currently working on a virtual delivery model which can potentially start as early as Term 2. We will provide more information on the progress of this digital initiative as it becomes available. Further advice from Netball Australia on NetSetGO can be found here. COMPETITIONS What does this mean for our competition? Firstly, it is important to recognise that there are various competitions run by different organisations across the NSW netball community. There are those that are run centrally by Netball NSW (for example, Premier League, Metro League, Regional Leagues, State Titles) and those run by affiliated Associations. With this is mind, at all levels of our netball community administrators are currently working through a range of different scenarios. That said, it is fair to assume that netball in 2020 will be vastly different to any other year as the world faces this unprecedented public health emergency. Starting dates of Association’s Club Netball competitions are at the discretion of individual Associations. Noting that under the current Public Health Order there can be no training sessions until 30 June, Netball NSW is recommending that competitions start on approximately Saturday 18 July. It may be beneficial for Associations and Clubs to start investigating what options are available particularly if you are accessing a local government managed facility. Netball NSW COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions 3
What happens if our competition was already underway? Competitions which were already underway and were suspended due to the restrictions imposed can re-commence at the Association’s discretion from Tuesday 30 June 2020. Scheduling should however provide adequate time for players to prepare for the various levels of netball they will participate in, to limit the possibility of injury. Will we still have semi-finals/grand finals? As stated above, Association administrators will work through alternative scenarios for the 2020 season to ensure players get to play as much netball as possible. Whether or not any amended schedules include a finals series will be determined in due course by the relevant association/competition administrator. What about Netball NSW Competitions? At this stage Netball NSW is planning for a July re-start of activity. The below outlines the current planning around each level of competition re-commencing from July onwards. Origin Premier League Premier League is now due to commence with Round 1 on Wednesday 29 July, with a pre-season warm-up round to be held the week prior. As the pinnacle Netball Competition in NSW we are working towards completing a full season of the Premier League competition and details around the fixture are continuing to be worked through. Communication in relation to the fixture for 2020 will be circulated to Premier League Licensees by the end of April. Dooleys Metro League The Metro League competition will commence with Round 1 being held in the week commencing Monday 27 July. The competition will include nine rounds (all teams playing each other once) with a shortened finals series (Grand Final only between first and second on the ladder). The proposed competition starting dates for the Premier and Metro League seasons (approximately one month following the end of the Public Health Order) is to allow for a period of training and conditioning to limit the possibility of injury. Bing Lee Regional Leagues Dates of the various Regional League competitions are at the discretion of the region. The Netball NSW Regional Managers will work with the Associations on re-scheduling and the format of the competitions. Some competitions will be able to proceed as planned, with some changes to the format whereas others will need to be re-scheduled. The Regional State Cup The Regional State Cup is now due to be held on the weekend of 17 – 18 October 2020. Netball NSW COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions 4
Hart Junior and Senior State Titles Junior and Senior State Titles (with the exception of the Opens Divisions) will now be held on the October long weekend – Saturday 3rd to Monday 5th October 2020. This aligns with the feedback received in a recent survey where the vast majority of Associations believe the last weekend in September is the appropriate last weekend of a delayed winter Club season. Netball NSW are currently working through the logistics due to the change in dates, working closely with host Associations and local councils on the challenges these new dates present at the various locations. Discussions with these stakeholders are ongoing and as a result we are yet to determine the final allocation of venues. We understand that these revised dates will cause varying challenges for Associations and participants, including but not limited to, accommodation, tent allocations, umpires and officials availability, player workload, school holidays, HSC preparation etc. We will endeavor to work with Associations where we can to alleviate some of the challenges. However, in these unprecedented times we are doing all that we can to ensure State Titles are played and acknowledge that individuals will need to make their own decisions around their priorities and what is right for them. Hart Open State Titles, Bing Lee Masters State Titles and Social Masters The Senior State Titles Opens Division will now be included to run concurrently with Masters State Titles and Social Masters on the scheduled Masters dates of 17 – 18 October 2020. As with the Senior and Junior State Titles, due to the change in format for 2020 a review of the host venue is currently taking place and an update will be provided by 1 June. Should Associations continue to submit their entry for Junior State Titles? Yes. Associations must submit their entry for Junior State Titles by no later than Tuesday 5 May. Entry information can be found on the Junior State Titles Competition page of the Netball NSW website. When will the venues for State Titles and Masters be known? Entries for Junior State Titles close on Tuesday 5 May. Once the final number of entries are known, we anticipate advising final venues on or before Friday 8 May. What will happen with Association Carnivals? Over the coming weeks Netball NSW will be in contact with Associations who had a Carnival allocated on the Netball NSW calendar during 2020. We will work with Associations on re-scheduling some carnivals throughout the time available within the season. Once a revised calendar is prepared this will be circulated to Associations. Is there a cut-off date where the season would be called off? No. At this stage, we are still hopeful of some netball being played. The situation we all find ourselves in is highly unpredictable and, as we have seen to this point, it can change at any time. We will continue to take advice from the Federal Government and Netball Australia and have undertaken to provide our next formal update no later than Monday 1 June 2020. Netball NSW COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions 5
Is the 2020 Marie Little OAM Shield Competition still going ahead?
At this stage, the 2020 Marie Little OAM Shield Competition has not been cancelled. Netball Australia
will confirm on 31 May 2020 the full event plans for 2020. Netball NSW will not be opening
nominations for players and officials until after the update from Netball Australia on 31 May 2020.
GENERAL QUESTIONS
What impact does COVID-19 have on our insurance coverage?
Players, officials, and volunteers registered for the 2020 season will be covered by the National Netball
Insurance Program. The program will provide all registered participants with a level of insurance
protection and Netball NSW encourages all registered participants to review the insurance cover
provided to ascertain whether the insurance is sufficient for their personal circumstances and whether
they need to obtain additional insurance including Private Health Insurance.
V-Insurance Group are the national insurance broker and details of the insurance cover, the claims
portal and certificates of currency can be found on their netball specific website -
https://netball.vinsurance.com.au/
It is very important to note that Personal Accident insurance provides coverage for injuries sustained
whilst participating in an activity sanctioned by Netball Australia, State Netball Organisations or their
affiliated Associations or Clubs under the following circumstances;
• An official match or training sessions
• Traveling to and from an official club activity
• Participation in an official club function
• Tours or representative matches
Personal Accident insurance does not cover illness, such as that which may arise from infection with
COVID-19 (in the same way it would not cover the flu).
Club Management and Professional Liability Insurance is provided to all incorporated netball Clubs,
and affiliated Associations as part of the national insurance scheme and provides cover for honest
mistakes made by directors and officers involved in the management of the affairs for the organisation.
However, this coverage would not extend to decisions made which are illegal or in breach of a
Government Order.
Are there any education opportunities to take advantage of during this downtime?
There are many online courses available for coaches, umpires and bench officials. Courses range from
Foundation Umpire & Coach Education, Development Online Coach Education to the Rules of Netball
Theory Exam and many free courses. Courses can be accessed via your MyNetball account.
What if my accreditation expires during this time?
Members are able to process their update request via their MyNetball account at any time.
Netball NSW COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions 6What is the impact on Walking Netball and Fast 5? Walking Netball Competitions (Social or Traditional), Walking Netball Exercise Classes and Fast5 Netball Competition start dates are at the discretion of individual Associations hosting programs and/or Netball NSW depending on who is running the program. Noting that under the current Public Health Order there can be no sessions until 30 June. Netball NSW is considering a Term 3 start for these programs. Further information will be communicated to all Associations hosting programs by 1 June. What is the impact on Performance and Pathway Programs? Performance and Pathways Programs including the QBE Swifts Academy, GIANTS Academy, Emerging Talent, Regional Emerging Talent and Regional Academy of Sport Programs are continuing to focus on supporting the long -term individual development of identified athletes. Programs have adapted to adjust to the unprecedented circumstances and will continue to adapt to ensure an optimum balance of development, load management and recovery when competition resumes. When is Netball NSW’s next review date? Given the current unpredictable nature of the world we are living in Netball NSW will continue to keep all stakeholders as informed as possible over coming weeks should there be significant changes to any of the matters mentioned above. There will also be a formal update, provided by no later than Monday 1 June 2020. Netball NSW COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions 7
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