Socially Distanced Sport Project
The Mayor of London funded a socially distanced sport pilot in Hackney in July-August 2020. Badu Sports delivered a 5-week programme of sport and physical activity within a socially-distanced environment with support from Salaam Peace. This project facilitated a return to play for children and young people from the local area.
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We tested a model for group work whilst observing COVID-19 government restrictions and PHE guidance. Experienced coaches and community group leaders facilitated non-contact sports – football, basketball and netball. The project was delivered in outdoor school sports facilities, but the learning from the pilot is adaptable and suitable for non-school settings.
From this project, we have produced a practical toolkit of key learning and useful information.
Read the toolkit and find out more about the Socially Distanced Sport project delivered by BADU Sports and Salaam Peace, as well as the learnings from the pilot.
Audiences for the toolkit include:
- grassroots sports organisations delivering single or multi-sport programmes
- non-sports organisations delivering group physical activity
- PE teachers and school sports departments
- local authorities responsible for outdoor facilities
- indoor venue managers
- youth/social workers and group mentors.
The sports selected for the pilot (football, basketball and netball) successfully engage a wide range of children and young people and are accessible and affordable. However they are team sports and do not lend themselves to social distancing in their full contact form – as do, for example, tennis or cricket. In the normal run of things each of these sports involves close contact on the ball in tackling and defending.
The toolkit outlines learning and suggestions for those wishing to run activities while COVID-19 is present but we recognise that these suggestions will not be suitable for everyone or all sports. We expect that this toolkit will be adapted by you to meet your needs and within the context of your own activities and organisation. National governing bodies (NGBs) provide guidance for their individual sports for individuals, clubs and local authorities. Sport-specific COVID-19 guidance for outdoor sports and physical activity is available on the London Sport website.