SPECIAL COVID-19 INFO AND PROCECURES (updated July 18, 2021)

We are all very excited to get back in the water, again, but COVID is still a threat.   While Phase 3 on the Ontario reopening plan has relaxed many COVID-related rules, there are still a number of safety measures that we have to follow under the guidance of Water Polo Canada, Ontario Water Polo, Ottawa Public Health and the different pool managers.  This page contains detailed information and procedures which MUST BE READ AND FOLLOWED BY ALL TITANS ATHLETES, COACHES AND PARENT.   Please visit this page frequently as COVID-related measures change frequently.  If changes are made, they will be highlighted for your convenience.

Knowledge is power

• Every participant and their parents/guardians, every lifeguard, every coach, every volunteer must read this important presentation BEFORE their first practice:   Link to Titans Return to Sport Presentation

Be prepared to make concessions

• There are no more caps on the maximum number of athletes permitted per practice, but the Titans may still have to impose restrictions on which athletes can attend high-demand practices to ensure a practical distribution of athletes across all our practices.  

Free Trial sessions are now permitted

• New athletes wanting to attend one of our free water polo sessions MUST submit a Request for a Free Trial ahead of time using this link: Titans Online Free Try-Out Request (titanswaterpolo.ca) 
• The purpose of the above request form is to (1) collect information required in case COVID contact tracing is required, (2) ensure the mandatory Water Polo Canada Consent form has been signed, (3) help us determine what options would be best for the new athletes, and (4) share important COVID safety measures with the new athletes ahead of their scheduled free trial. 

Mandatory self-assessment:

• BEFORE EACH PRACTICE, each participant and coach must complete the COVID-19 self-assessment located at https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/, save the results to a PDF file and keep a copy of the last 3 weeks’ worth of self-assessment reports in case they are required by Ottawa Public Health or the Titans should an investigation be required.   
• If the self-assessment results indicate that the participant should self-isolate and/or be tested for COVID-19:
  • The participant MUST (1) immediately notify the Titans of the self-assessment results via an email to COVID19@titanswaterpolo.ca, (2) stay home and (3) follow the instructions of the self-assessment results. 
  • If the participant is tested for COVID-19, the participant must notify the Titans of the test results ASAP.
    • If the test result is positive, the participant must notify the Titans once their case is deemed resolved by local health authorities. 
    • If the test result is negative, the participant must notify the Titans once all their symptoms have disappeared. 
    • The participant will only be allowed to resume training once their return has been permitted by the Titans and/or the relevant health authorities.
    • Before the start of every practice, each participant must confirm to their coach that they completed their self-assessment and that they are fit to join the practice.
  • All information, including the individual’s identity, will be kept confidential.

Rules, Rules, Rules:

• • Below are general rules that apply across the board.  See the next section for pool-specific rules.
  • Please keep in mind that carpooling has been identified as a higher-risk practice.  
  • Do your best to show up only 10 minutes before your practice start time.  If it is cold outside, we suggest that you wait in your car as you will not be granted early access to the facility’s lobby.
  • If you show up late for a practice, you will most likely NOT be given access to the facilities.
  • Parents are not permitted to accompany their children or watch their practice.
  • For a first-time free try-out, one parent may accompany their child until the child has been introduced to the coach, after which the parent must immediately leave the facilities. Parents accompanying their child must also complete a self-assessment form BEFORE the practice.
  • Everyone must maintain a minimum 2m distance between themselves and anyone else at all times, however, athletes do NOT have to maintain a 2m distance when in the water.  Yes, this means we are permitted to PLAY REAL WATER POLO!
  • Everyone must wear a mask when in the facility.  Masks should only be removed just before entering the water.  
  • Coaches must wear a mask on deck only if they have to talk to someone (athlete, parent, pool staff) and they cannot maintain a 2m distance while talking.  
  • Everyone must wash their hands at one of the hand sanitizing stations when entering and leaving the facility.
  • Follow floor markings and directional arrows when they are provided.
  • Participants must shower at home and come dressed wearing their swimsuit so they can undress on the pool deck.  Changing on the pool deck with a towel wrapped around your body is not acceptable.
  • Belongings must be placed in the designated zone, identified by the pool supervisor (i.e. lockers not available in locker rooms).
  • Bring a reusable plastic bag and stuff your footwear inside the bag BEFORE getting on the pool deck (do NOT wear outdoor shoes on the pool deck).
  • Bring your own filled water bottle (water fountains are not accessible).
  • Participants must not share or lend any of their personal items.
  • Only coaches and pool staff are permitted to set up pool and water polo equipment (participants cannot help).  Equipment must be sterilized before use.  In most cases, the Titans are NOT permitted to use pool equipment, only Titans equipment.
  • Upon arrival for practice, the participants must report to the coach, confirm that they completed their COVID-19 self-assessment and that they are fit to join the practice. 
  • Coaches must take complete and accurate attendance for every practice and archive a copy of the attendance reports within 24 hours after the practice per the instructions they will have received to that effect.  Those attendance sheets are a mandatory requirement to facilitate contact tracing, should it be required.
  • Face masks must be worn when doing dry-land training ONLY IF a minimum 2m distance cannot be maintained between the participants.
  • Once the practice ends, everyone is to put their mask back on as soon as possible after they get out of the water.  Masks must be worn until you exit the facilities.
  • When using the change rooms after practice, obey the signage in the change rooms (e.g. change in designated spots), absolutely NO access to the showers, change rapidly and leave the facilities as fast as possible (within 15 minutes at most). 
  • Any Titans staff, including our lifeguards, have the authority to deny access to a participant if they believe a participant represents an unusual COVID-19 risk to the other participants (e.g. exhibiting a COVID-19 symptom, lack of attention paid to the 2m distancing rule, etc.).  Athletes who are denied access must remain seated in a safe location visible by the coaches, mask on, maintaining a 2m distance from everyone else, until they are picked up from the facility.
  • Coaches are expected to assist in the cleaning and disinfecting process after their practice. The following must be cleaned after each practice:
    • Wipe down water polo nets, frame and handles, and storage carts
    • Clean dryland areas that were used
    • Clean any other equipment that might have been used (e.g. chairs)

Pool-specific Rules:

• • Richcraft pool
    • Athletes and coaches enter as a group 5 minutes prior to practice start.
    • Our coaches have an access card and will let their group in. 
  • Walter Baker pool (pool closed, likely for the remainder of the season)
    • When coming into the facilities, tell the screening table you are with the Titans, and follow the blue dots on the floor to go to the access door into the pool area.
    • Walk directly to the bleachers.  There are green dots where you can sit and leave your water polo bags.  You can change there.
    • If you show up late, the doors to the pool may be locked.  You can try knocking on the doors really hard, but you might not be heard.   You can also try knocking on the pool staff door to get their attention.  It is possible that you won’t be heard and will miss the practice.  Bottom line: don’t be late.
    • At the end of practice, you will exit through the change rooms.
• • Pinecrest pool
    • Athletes and coaches enter as a group 5 minutes prior to practice start.
    • Entry into the pool will be via the doors by the deep-end (near the exercise room).
• • Splash pool (pool closed for the remainder of the season)
    • Athletes should aim to arrive no earlier than 5 minutes before the start of their practice.
    • Our athletes do NOT have to enter as a group.
    • When coming into the facilities, enter via the door in the lobby (not via the change rooms).
    • Athletes can go directly on deck with their mask on, pick a safe spot 2m apart, remove their outdoor clothes and wait for the start of practice.
    • We leave the facilities via the emergency exit near the change rooms, not via the front door.
• • Francois Dupuis pool
    • Athletes and coaches enter as a group 5 minutes prior to practice start.
    • We are the only group in the facilities, so if you are late, there is nobody to open the doors for you.  Maybe if you waive hard enough, one of the on-deck coaches will spot you and go open the door for you.  Be late at your own risk!
• • Brewer pool
    • About 10 minutes before the start of practice, athletes and coaches will be let in as a group via the door facing Sloan Ave.
    • Absolutely no parking available on site.
    • Everyone is to walk directly to the designated waiting area in the viewing gallery.
    • Boots are to be placed on the boot racks provided by the city
    • When the practice starts, everyone can go directly to the pool deck and change there.
    • After the practice is over, everyone goes back to the viewing gallery (mask on) to pick up their water polo bag.  They can then go to the locker room to change. 
    • Parents picking up their child must park along the fenced side of Sloan to wait.
  • Carleton University pool
    • Parking at the sports complex will be free until further notice.  
    • No earlier than 10 minutes before the start of practice, athletes and coaches may enter the building and go into the change rooms to get dressed.  We recommend coming with your swimsuit on so you spend as little time as possible in the change room (higher risk area).  
    • Go on the pool deck, sit on the side wall (not the benches in front of the lifeguard office)  respecting 2m distancing at all times and wait for the practice to start.
    • No warm-up or stretching is permitted on the pool deck.
    • Coaches must wear their mask at all times, including during the practice.
    • At the end of the practice, exit the pool deck via the emergency exit door (passed the women’s change room door).  All traffic circulation when exiting the pool must be done in a clockwise fashion.
  • Nepean Sportsplex
    • Enter the facilities via Entrance #1 (the main entrance facing Woodruff avenue).
    • For practices held in the 50m pool, access the pool deck via the main pool entrance (not via the change rooms), individuals are to go directly to the viewing gallery at the designated spots, take their outdoor clothes off, leave their belongings there and wait for the coach to lead the group to the pool deck.  
    • For practices held in the small pool, access the pool deck via the Universal Change Room (located down the hall, past the canteen), individuals are to go directly to the pool deck at the designated spots, take their outdoor clothes off, leave their belongings there and wait for the coach to lead the group into the water.  Boots must be taken off before entering the Universal Change Room and be carried in a plastic bag.
    • Face masks MUST be worn while performing dryland exercises.
    • If athletes have to move between the deep end to the shallow end in the 50m pool, athletes are to travel in a counter-clockwise fashion on the pool deck while ensuring 2m distancing with everyone else.
    • After practice, athletes in the 50m pool go pick up their belongings (respecting the counter-clockwise flow and 2m distancing), put their masks back on and exit via the change rooms.
    • After practice, athletes in the 25m pool go pick up their belongings, put their masks back on and exit via the Universal Change Room.  Coaching staff will marshal the departing athletes to minimize any contact with the arriving athletes.
    • DO NOT stay in the facilities after the practice is over.  Exit the building as soon as possible.
  • Outdoor Pools
    • Masks must be worn while at the facilities until the practice starts.
    • Enter the facilities as a group, as follows:
      • Entrance Pool (through the Wading Pool gate)
      • General Burns Pool (though the Emergency Exit gate) 
      • BeaverBrook Pool (through the main customer service desk entrance )
      • Glen Cairn Pool (through the main entrance)
    • Wait in the pool’s designated waiting area until the practice starts.
    • Coaches are expected to help clean up the facilities after their practice, more specifically:
      • Wipe down water polo nets, frame and handles, and storage carts
      • clean dry-land areas that were used.