RCTFC athletes and parents,

We hope you are all well and managing these times as best as possible.  BC Athletics held an emergency Board meeting to respond to the current situation regarding COVID-19 on Thursday, and Royal City Track and Field Club responded with a meeting of our own Sunday, to ensure compliance to directives, and to continue to plan as best possible for our members.  

BC Athletics has cancelled all competitions, clinics and courses scheduled until 30 May and postponed the 2020 track season until the end of May, or such other time as advised at a later date.  The Cites of New Westminster and Burnaby have closed our practice facilities with similar timeframes.

Accordingly, Royal City has cancelled all practices until 01 June 2020, and suspended any coaching until that time.  We cannot be sure of how the season will proceed come June, if indeed we are able to.  We encourage you to have your athletes remain as active as possible, while following the guidelines set for social distancing and healthy living.  BC Athletes has confirmed these actions this morning: Until further notice, BC Athletics clubs are to suspend training sessions due to the COVID-19 health crisis. This notice extends to BC Athletics member coaches who are coaching outside of the normal club organized training sessions and coaches who are not members of a club.

BC Athletics also deferred further discussions regarding membership cancellations and refunds until June.  Royal City, along with other clubs, have asked them to reconsider their position in these times of uncertainty in order to respond to the concerns voiced by some of our membership.  

We have been advised their next update is targeted for Wednesday, 25 March.  While we will continue to accept names of persons interested in joining should the season continue, we will no longer collect payment until we have certainty of being able to offer our program.  New athletes may register online for the wait list at https://www.trackiereg.com/RoyalCityTrack

We will continue to refer to advisory notices and regulations set by Federal and Provincial Authorities, and direction from BC Athletics, and the owners of the facilities that we use, and update you as new information is provided.  

The health and welfare of our members remains our priority.  Stay Well.

Fraser Health Advisories:

https://www.fraserhealth.ca/health-topics-a-to-z/coronavirus#.XnpeFy0ZPUL

BC Athletics Update:

https://www.bcathletics.org/News/bc-athletics-update-coronavirus-covid-19-4/2978/

https://www.bcathletics.org/News/special-bc-athletics-update-coronavirus-covid-19-5/2979/

Best Regards,

Ian Coutts

President, Royal City Track & Field Club

RCTFC athletes and parents,

This has been an unprecedented last few weeks and the only certainty is that there will continue to be more changes. We all have been inundated with correspondence regarding COVID-19 and this leads us to ask how this affects my family and their activities.

Royal City Track and Field Club continues to prepare for our upcoming season, beginning 02 April for the JD’s and older, and 07 April for the Rascals.  Although some meets and clinics have been cancelled or postponed, over Spring Break we do have continuing specialized practice for our older athletes as communicated by your coaches.

While we continue to refer to advisory notices and regulations set by Federal and Provincial Health Authorities, we are also are directed by our governing body, BC Athletics, and the owners of the facilities that we use.  At this time, all are in agreement that we can and should continue.  In fact, Dr. Henry, our Provincial Medical Health Officer, said we should all go outside and play.  Some of our practices are indoors and those have now been cancelled.

For the next two weeks we request that all athletes and parents follow the COVID-19 protocols being advised by our health authorities, as our coaches will also be doing.

Do not come to practice if you or a family member, or other people you have been in contact with have experienced cold or flu like symptoms or have returned within the last 14 days from travel from outside of Canada.

We will be in touch closer to the start of the season with updates as to how our club’s training will be affected, if at all, based on the current instruction we receive.

Best Regards,

Ian Coutts

President, Royal City Track & Field Club

https://www.bcathletics.org/News/bc-athletics-update-coronavirus-covid-19-3/2974/