Get Your Club Ready To Reopen After Lockdown
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The COVID-19 pandemic has led to major disruption for everyone in their daily life and significant disruption for gymnastics and trampoline clubs across the UK. It is welcomed news from the government that they now feel it is safe for leisure centres and clubs to reopen in England from 25th July.
I’m sure there will be a lot of excitement from many gymnasts with this news and a sigh of relief from gymnastics and trampoline club owners as we prepare to return to some form of normality.
It may be that the situation will continue to change rapidly and we will need to adapt our processes quickly, so with that in mind we wanted to give you some tips on how to reopen safely and cope during this pandemic.
Stay Up To Date
If you are a member of British Gymnastics, then don’t miss out on their step forward plan. This provides clear guidance for the gymnastics community on what steps to take for a safe return to gymnastics.
Staying up to date is important, but don’t spend hours glued to the news coverage if this is causing you stress. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Checking for the latest guidance in regular intervals on the government website or WHO website (World Health Organisation) could help distinguish facts from rumours and help to minimise fear.
Consider subscribing to newsletters from your local authority for up to date information in your local area.
If you are one of our customers please consider subscribing to our newsletter where we will share any new information on recommendations from equipment suppliers on the best way to care for and clean your equipment.
Stay Healthy (Body & Mind!)
Helping coaches and gymnasts to stay healthy should be one of your top priorities. By protecting each other, we can get through this.
Whilst many children will be eager to get back to training, some children may have become more attached to their parents/carers and may feel anxious about returning to club life. It is important to provide a safe and secure environment where children and their parents and carers feel free to express their feelings. This will help them to address issues that may cause anxiety. An open and transparent club will gain the confidence of their gymnasts and help them feel safe and at ease as they return to the gym.
We also feel it is important to take things slowly when you do return. Not all gymnasts will have kept up the same fitness levels whilst training from home, so remember to take things slowly to avoid injury.
We all know it is extremely important to take measures to protect yourself and others from the spread of COVID-19, but that’s not the only issue to be aware of. This is a stressful time for everyone and club owners face a range of challenges in these difficult times.
If you’re struggling with the impact on your physical and mental health the World Health Organisation (WHO) have published a comprehensive document covering mental health considerations during the coronavirus outbreak.
The BBC have also published an article on how to protect your mental health during the pandemic.
Hygiene
By now everyone will be aware of the government guidelines for regular handwashing, social distancing and self-isolation, but if you’re not you can access the latest government guidelines here.
Make sure gymnast understand your new procedures
Make it clear to the gymnasts and parents what is expected of them with your new procedures.
We have a range of free downloadable signs for you to access:
Seek out positives where possible
Grab this unique time and spin it into a positive. If there are policies and procedures in your club that could do with a refresh, now is an ideal time for change when you have the parents and gymnast’s full attention. Make the most of it to stay on top of your game.
Cleaning your trampolines and gymnastics equipment
What do we clean gymnastics equipment with is a question we have been asked a lot recently. At Gymaid we understand how hard it is to keep gymnastics equipment clean, let alone germ and odour free. There is a huge range of gymnastics equipment and we’d love to give you definitive advice on how best to look after every individual piece, but it’s impossible to cram all that information into this article because it is dependent on the materials your equipment is made from. Always check the cleaning products you intend to use are suitable for the materials your gymnastics equipment is made from.
Air products are particularly ‘COVID-friendly’ gymnastics equipment because they are very versatile and easy to wipe clean. The markings on larger AirTracks could even aid with social distancing guides for your gymnasts. Read this advice from AirTrack Factory on cleaning AirTracks.
Our tips for cleaning your AirTrack:
- Use a mop for speedy cleaning (with no sharp edges!)
- Use a squeegee mop to speed up the drying process
- Never pack an AirTrack away until it is fully dry
Frequent cleaning of trampolines for example is a little bit more difficult. The current advice from Eurotramp for cleaning the trampoline bed webbing is to use a mild soap solution suitable for nylon. Remember to always allow the trampoline bed to dry on the trampoline frame whilst unfolded to avoid shrinking.
Eurotramp are looking for a better solution for a more frequent cleaning routine, but currently we cannot offer any recommendations that do not affect the longevity of the equipment. Please note the indoor trampoline beds are not UV resistant, so UV cleaning methods will cause damage over time. Eurotramp are also advising to avoid any cleaning products containing alcohol because this is also proven to damage the webbing.
Our tips for cleaning a trampoline:
- Check the products you are using are suitable for the materials you are using them on
- Always dry a trampoline bed on the frame to avoid shrinking
Maintenance of your equipment
Now is also a perfect time to take a look at your equipment and make sure it is safe for use. We can support you with our trampoline inspection and maintenance service.
We’re here to support you in any way we can, so please get in touch if you have specific questions on maintenance or cleaning please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
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