The health and safety of children, coaches, and co-ordinators will be the highest priority at the 2020 Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps.
The first phase of Kellogg’s Cúl Camps activity starts on June 29th with the broadcasting of a new GAA Kellogg’s Cúl Camp TV programme on TG4 for a three-week period, followed by the beginning of the Cúl Camps themselves from July 20th.
The GAA’s National Cúl Camp Coordinator, Charlie Harrison, says those involved in running the camps will take every caution to ensure the camps adhere to all HSE and GAA health and safety guidelines.
“Obviously these are very strange times, but we were determined this year to give children the opportunity to play Gaelic Games this summer in a Cúl Camp setting that’s also a safe environment which adheres to all the HSE and GAA health and safety guidelines,” Harrison told GAA.ie
“Protocols around the way we run Cúl Camps have changed to ensure the safety of our participants and staff is paramount. That was always the case, but we’re now extra cautious given the current circumstances.
“We’re adhering the GAA’s Safe Return to Gaelic Games document and all that’s outlined in that document.
“And we’re also doing Coach Education whereby everyone involved in the camps will have to complete a Covid-19 eLearning module. Plus, there’s additional Cúl Camp coordinator training on top of that.
“Our camps start on July 20 which coincides with Phase Four of the GAA’s Safe Return to Gaelic Games plan and things will look a little different.
“Dressing-rooms will not be allowed to be opened so we’re advising that grounds to be used in this period are ones with stands or dug-out areas so kids will be able to go there if they need shelter at any stage.
“And then once Phase Five begins on August 10 we’ll be able to open changing rooms so hopefully things will go back to a little more normality.
“We’re obviously able to play our games, but there are things that we will restrict kids from doing such as high-fives and shaking hands.
“Off the pitch we will adhere to social distancing rules. And on the pitch we will be coming up with innovative ways to play games that maybe reduce the amount of contact that kids have on a day to day basis.
“Also, the health questionnaire will have to be completed prior to taking part in a Cúl Camp by parents. The toilets will be cleaned on a regular basis as will all equipment.
“We’d be asking children to bring their own water-bottles, not to be sharing food or drinks or anything with other kids.
“And we’d ask parents to pack a little hand sanitizer into their kid’s pack. So they can use that under supervision when needed.
“The onus will be on parents to check their child’s temperature and see if there are any symptoms related to Covid-19 prior to a session.”