The Goulburn Touch Association has opened registrations for the 2020/21 season, with fewer changes to the competition than initially expected.
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Several weeks ago, the committee was tossing up whether or not to adjust the schedule to accommodate COVID-19 health regulations.
Instead, it has decided to run touch on the same nights as usual, but with limits on the number of teams allowed per competition.
The men's and women's seasons are slated to begin on Monday, October 12, while the mixed competition will get underway on Wednesday, October 14.
Starting dates the junior season are yet to be shored up, however Kara said the association was looking at potentially running a truncated competition which will end at Christmas.
The senior competitions this season will be limited to eight teams per division, while games will be 30 minutes with no half-time break, and the teams will change ends after each touchdown.
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Similarly, the juniors will only be allowed seven teams per division, while the Under 18s have been moved to Monday nights.
All players will also be required to adhere strictly to the COVID-19 health protocols. This means they will need to arrive on time no more than five minutes early for games, play, and leave as soon as the match is over.
Association president, Kevin Kara, said that despite a smaller committee than in recent years, they were still looking forward to getting the season underway.
"We're short on the committee but we're eager to get it underway," Kara said.
"Looking at some of the COVID-19 rules, we've got to make sure we do the right thing by everyone; the referees, teams, parents. We're sticking to only one parent on the sideline, and we'll try to get everyone in and out quickly."
The changes to the structure of Goulburn Touch have been made with both COVID-19 and lower administration numbers in mind. Due to the social distancing requirements, the matches will need to be spread across Carr Confoy, and the association also needs to provide COVID officers to ensure health regulations are being followed.
Registration starts at $120 for the seniors prior to October 14, and $130 after that date. The juniors can register for $70, or $80 after October 14.
The association encouraged all who were interested to apply quickly, as space may run out due to the limited team spots.
For further details, or to register, please visit the Goulburn Touch website at www.goulburntouch.com.
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