West Ottawa Basketball Update

Public health officers in our community, province, and country have deemed vaccines to be a safe and reliable way to help stop the spread of COVID-19. 
Due to the close contact nature of our sport, getting vaccinated is an important element in protecting the health and well-being of all participants—players, coaches, referees, and spectators. 
West Ottawa Basketball has always sought to ensure the highest degree of safety for all participants, and therefore we are now moving forward with a vaccine mandate for the 2021-22 season. 
This decision is consistent with the policy that has been put in place by most associations in the Ottawa area. It is also likely to become mandated by the Eastern Ontario Basketball Association (EOBA), the governing organization for all local associations, including West Ottawa Basketball. Our policy also appears to align with the pending Province of Ontario vaccine mandate to access non-essential services. 
Our vaccine mandate includes the following details:

• All players born in 2009 or earlier must be fully vaccinated before participating in any tryouts, practices, games, or other activities in the 2021-22 season.

• Players born in 2010 or later are eligible to participate in West Ottawa Basketball tryouts, practices, games, and other activities. We will address the required vaccination timeline for players in this age group if and when vaccines are authorized.

• All coaches, assistant coaches, and team managers must be fully vaccinated before participating in any tryouts, practices, games, or other activities in the 2021-22 season.

• All referees and scorekeepers must be fully vaccinated before participating in any games, or other activities in the 2021-22 season.

• All other volunteers must be fully vaccinated before participating in any tryouts, practices, games, or other activities in the 2021-22 season.

We will be requiring proof of vaccination. Participants who have not yet registered will be required to upload confirmation of their second vaccine when registering for the 2021-22 season. Participants who have already registered will be sent an email shortly requesting that their certificate be emailed to our Director of Administration who will upload the certificate to the player’s profile.
Participation in any West Ottawa tryouts, practices, games, or other activities is prohibited until proof of vaccination has been provided and you have received confirmation to participate from West Ottawa Basketball.
Participants who are unwilling or unable to provide proof of full vaccination will be unable to engage in any West Ottawa tryouts, practices, games, or other activities in the 2021-22 season.  
Individuals who have already registered for the 2021-22 season and are unable or unwilling to provide proof of full vaccination will receive a full registration refund upon request. Individuals who attempt to participate in West Ottawa tryouts, practices, games, or other activities in the 2021-22 season without providing the required proof of full vaccination will forfeit their registration refund.
All participants are also expected to continue to follow all other applicable local and provincial public health protocols such as screening, hygiene, masking, and capacity limits.
One is considered to be fully vaccinated if they have received two doses (or one, in the case of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine) of a Health Canada approved vaccine, and that vaccination has taken place at least 14-days prior.