SPORTING clubs across the Central West breathed a collective sigh of relief on Wednesday evening when it was confirmed they would be permitted to continue their 2020 seasons.
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The green light to proceed comes after sporting competitions across the region such were all thrust into uncertainty after the release of a NSW Health advisory on Monday evening.
It recommended that sporting bodies "cease activities that result in mixing of participants from different regions, for example by ceasing zone, regional or state championships or competitions."
Clarification was sought on just what constituted zone or regional competitions - especially as a host of competitions across the Central West feature teams from multiple cities and towns.
But in a joint statement released by chief executive officers from NSW Rugby League, Hockey NSW, Netball NSW, AFL NSW-ACT, NSW Rugby Union and Football NSW on Wednesday evening, it was announced that community sport would continue.
"We have been engaged in meetings yesterday and today to address issues raised in a letter received on Monday of this week from the Department of Health," the joint statement said.
"In particular, we are grateful to Dr Kerry Chant for taking the time to address state sporting organisations.
"We were comforted by Dr Chant's assurance that both she and the Department of Health are committed to community sport. Specifically, her advice that the Department of Health will take a pragmatic, common sense approach to the implementation of the high level recommendations articulated by the Department of Health will allow each state sporting organisation to work towards a tailored implementation of the recommendations in a way which achieves the aims of the Department of Health at the same time as allowing community sport to continue to operate."
The women's Premier League Hockey competition, which involves teams from Bathurst, Orange, Lithgow and Parkes has just two rounds of its regular season remaining before the finals series commences.
Given the disruptions the competition had already faced, PLH secretary Michelle Stevenson was relieved to hear the news.
"It's great that we can continue the competition being so close to finals," she said.
Bathurst Bushrangers player Ben Horn knows he and his team-mates will have to contend with some 'pretty gnarly weather', come this Saturday's round of the AFL Central West competition, but he too is glad regional sporting competitions can continue.
His side is currently the undefeated competition leaders of the top tier men's competition - one which had already had its 2020 season cut short due to COVID-19. The AFLCW features teams from Bathurst, Orange, Dubbo and Cowra.
"At the moment it really gives everyone something to look forward to - training and playing footy. It gets people out of the house which is pretty important at the moment," he said.
"It was tough having to wait for the start of the season, especially having that gap after the pre-season and not knowing if it was going to go ahead - it was definitely an extra spanner in the works. Everyone was pretty excited when we got the go ahead.
"You look down in Melbourne, a few of our guys from last year have moved down to Melbourne and they were looking forward to playing footy and they can't at the moment. I feel really, really lucky that we can still be playing."
For all those who play in the competitions run under the Western NSW Football banner - both those run by Western and the different associations - relief came upon hearing a handful of words from Football NSW CEO Stuart Hodge.
"This weekend's fixtures will proceed as scheduled," he said.
It means the 10th round of the revived Western Premier League competition involving clubs from Dubbo, Orange, Bathurst, Lithgow and Parkes will take place this Saturday.
At this stage the mid-week match between Bathurst's Panorama FC and Orange's Barnestoneworth FC will be played Thursday night at Proctor Park.
Central West Rugby Union and the competitions run by the Western Rams - junior rugby league, Mid West League, Western Youth League - have all been given the green light as well.
However, while community sport in the Central West can go ahead, there will still be restrictions.
There will be no multi-day training camps or activities which result in overnight stays, while social activities such as awards functions or post-match group dinners are not permitted.
It is advised that participants avoid car pooling or bus travel and spectators are limited to one parent only where a child requires parental supervision during sport.
"We have always placed the utmost importance on the health and safety or our stakeholders and emphasised compliance with Public Health orders so as to limit the possible spread of coronavirus across the state," the statement said.
"For all our competitions we reinforce the importance of COVID-safe plans and the necessity for following the terms of those plans to the letter."
