Or is kids football and sports in tier 4 ridiculous?

[Puddingypops]

I think I’m going to get flamed by soccer mums but anyway...

My lad plays football and now we are told all under 18 football will continue, even while schools are closed and we are in tier 4??!

Do they not realise this is ridiculous? Regardless of other guidance I know kids whose families do not drive so will be getting lifts to training and matches, parents stood close together shouting their heads off during training and matches, kids coming into close contact and yet more excuses of, well they play football together so can go to each others houses blah blah blah.

This now puts me in the situation of allowing my son to play or being the bad guy, I’m ECV and feel under so much pressure!

I know plenty will tell me “think about the children” but it’s freezing anyway, my daughter cannot attend any of her dancing or drama groups but my son can go and train 3 times a week plus matches but can’t go to school???? WTAF!!!!

The football isn’t an issue.

But there should be NO lift sharing or spectating. Our football has been strict on that for months.

It's an outdoor sport where kids are constantly moving. FFS let them have something.

Thought nurseries were open?

Its bizarre, considering that my running group is now restricted to 8 members (pre-booked online) who must be 2m width apart and 5m in length at all times - so not a group at all.

But strangely, football is exempt from the rules that are mostly preventing all other sports training, even outdoor sports. And football is hardly no contact.

Its almost reminiscent of the ridiculous rules in the summer where you could go to the pub for a drink, but you were banned from swimming in your local pool or going to your local gym.

And these rules really haven't gone that well for "beating the virus", have they?

Dd(5) football practice is still on.
Her dance class was also moved outside.
I don't have a problem with it continuing through the lockdown. I'm in Scotland it's always freezing cold, you soon get used to it.

@Mammyloveswine

Thought nurseries were open?

Not in Scotland.

You know it makes me sad that people are so wrapped up in their own life that they don’t look at others.

Can the kids cope with a couple of months more of no football when a THOUSAND people a day are dying? And that’s now, with this new variant and exponential growth how long before its 2 thousand?

I know these things are important, I KNOW IT and I feel it keenly too, I see my kids desperate for contact and distraction, but so many people are dying and I just wonder where to draw the line

@Blacktothepink

Well, it’s being transmitted in premiere league clubs between players so it will be transmitted between younger players 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

They spend a lot more time with each other and indoors than kids playing outdoors twice a week

I don't know about this new variant and I hope that will be reviewed carefully, but certainly previously studies showed the risk of outdoor transmission was vanishingly small.

And a lot of children came back to my son's school after the summer lockdown with vastly different body shapes - changed from skinny to very overweight - so anything that keeps children exercising outside has to be a good thing.

My daughter plays hockey once a week and we are in tier 4. And tier 3 for ages before. No parents are allowed to watch. They have to sit individually in their cars so they don't all stand together and shout as you say.
The kids have to be a hockey stick each away from each other, aren't allowed to touch the balls with their hands either.
Most sports are following guidance so they can continue as they know if they get a case spread from them, it will all stop. Our coaches are doing everything they can to continue to play safely.
My daughter is now not returning to school until at least the 18th if not later, I am grateful that she at least gets to play hockey and some non physical "contact" as we are following all the rules fully (unlike a lot of others), haven't seen family in the flesh during 2020, she's had no cases in her year at school, none of us have seen anyone in the past 2 weeks so why shouldn't she play hockey 2 metres away from others.
Instead of trying to stop everything, people should look at the people spreading this, those ignoring or making the rules fit them so they can visit family and friends. Those with teenagers hanging round in the parks with their friends not distancing, those idiots walking round shops with their masks under their noses. If you can wear it, wear it, if not don't. Those people who meet up with loads of other friends and families in parks. This is all happening in our tier 4 area.
Children playing sport safely under guidance will not be spreading it but look on the streets around you and you will see who the spreaders are.

You know it makes me sad that people are so wrapped up in their own life that they don’t look at others.

I don't think that's fair, it's not an either/or. I wouldn't have an issue with DS attending football & lost a relative to Covid.

One of my DS' football team got a positive test before Xmas. (Caught at school). None of the rest of the team had symptoms. Outdoor transmission is very unlikely.

Fairly obviously, we draw the line at sensible points.

A bunch of under 18s, who are already at a tiny risk from C19 in an outdoor environment where transmission is incredibly low and playing a sport where it is very easy to avoid shared surfaces and to stay apart? You really can't see the difference between that and say in indoor drama group?

I'm quite happy football is continuing for my child and will take him. It's all outside and he gets to keep healthy and continue the sport he enjoys.
Comparing it to nurseries, schools and even swimming is not a good comparison, they are all indoor activities (unless the odd few outdoor pools).
If you are vulnerable though I can understand not wanting to send your child.

@Puddingypops I don’t think it’s being wrapped up in our own lives; it’s that (if done properly) kids sport training does not have an impact on covid transmission or on death rates, especially noting that death levels among children are very low. The benefits of sport outweigh the low risks involved.

This now puts me in the situation of allowing my son to play or being the bad guy, I’m ECV and feel under so much pressure!

Personally I think it's weird that you want it shut down so you don't have to be the bad guy.

This new virus spreads mostly amongst 11-18 yo, hence secondary and colleges are closed. My DS16 is at Football Academy, and caught it just before Christmas (3 confirmed cases at school). And they had mainly training sessions, so yes, you can catch it during football training.

We are tier 4 and I'm kissed off they won't allow under 18's or disability swimming but will allow the football etc.

Chlorine kills the virus.

I didn't fly this summer or eat out to help out because I didn't think it was worth the risk. Individuals can weigh things up & don't have to do something just because it's allowed.

Presumably though your sons team will be “COVID-compliant”?
I’m in Scotland, and my daughter also plays football. At training sessions and home games she is temperature checked, has to sanitise her hands on the way in and out and there is minimal contact with equipment. Parents are banned from spectating at the minute (though I’m aware some are chancing their mitt!). And of course, she’s out in the fresh air.

Meanwhile at school, she’s indoors for 6 hours, not socially distanced, not temperature checked and there seems to be no sanitising between classes going on ( though her and her brothers all carry their own sanitiser).
And let’s not forget the mental and physical health aspect of it.

I know where I would prefer her to be...

@UrAWizHarry I can see the difference, I just feel scared because this new variant changes things, I wish I knew more about the transmission of this new variant and what my risk is. The fact is that if I get covid I’m at very high risk of dying from it (heart issues and neurological damage) and it scares me.

I don’t want to be the bad guy, I want to feel safe, and everything seems so different now with this new variant.

My son plays football (under 12s) and I tend to agree with you, in tier 4 it seems like all mixing like this should be cancelled, especially where schools are closed.

But there are lots of measures in place: at the moment adults cannot spectate or even come near the pitch side, it's very strictly drop and go policy. Hands sanitised before and after and temps taken before the enter pitch side. It feels like a pretty safe way for children to exercise.

But mh annoyance also comes from if schools are safe for children then swimming is also safe.

Schools are allowed to continue swimming if they have a pool or access a school with a pool.

His club has never had a case.

My son returns to school on Monday. All football here has been cancelled. We are tier 4

@In1981 I WISH my lads team was like that. It’s not. No one cares, everyone gets lifts with each other the coaches are huddled with the kids, all parents spectate and shout and kids all piles back to each others houses because they are in a “bubble”.

I think my experience with it is plainly colouring my view and it seems it’s quite different in other places.