Wet Weather

Extreme Weather Guidelines

Townsville Junior Touch Football is committed to providing a safe environment for all of our participants and supporters, including during adverse and extreme weather conditions.

Our commitment

Townsville Junior Touch Football (TJT) is committed to providing a safe environment for participation. Weather events that have the potential to impact on the safety of participants and/or officials may result in the suspension, cancellation, postponement, and/or rescheduling of matches.

These weather conditions may include:

  • Heavy or constant rain;
  • Storms (including lightning);
  • Extreme heat.

What we will do

  • Provide members, their parents and other sporting personnel with regularly updates on weather forecasts.
  • Take advice from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's observations and warnings services.
  • Make a decision regarding schedule games within a reasonable time-frame to allow as many participants, officials and supporters time to act.
  • Make it a priority to act in the best interests of our participants, in regards to their safety.
  • Empower the TJT Chairperson, or another delegated official to act on their behalf, to be responsible for deciding on whether scheduled matches should proceed.

What we ask you to do

  • Do not contact Townsville Junior Touch Football or your club directly to confirm the status of schedule matches.
  • Stay up-to-date via our approved public communication channels:
  • If sharing via your personal Facebook account, use the Share option rather than a screenshot.
  • Only spread official information regarding cancellation of scheduled matches, and not "suspected" or incorrect advice.
  • Report any dangerous environments caused by weather to your club officials.

How we will act

Townsville Junior Touch Football will adhere to the following guidelines for extreme weather:

Suspension of play

HazardAction
1. Heavy or constant rain

Play or competition may be suspended if the following criteria is satisfied:

  • Visibility for participants and officials is reduced and is a hindrance to safety; or
  • Pooling of surface water on fields occurs to a point where play becomes unsafe; or
  • The playing surface is likely to be damaged to a point where it becomes a cost or burden to the association to repair.
2. Lightning / Thunderstorms

Using the 30/30 rule (30 seconds between the "flash" of lightning and the "clap" of thunder = 10km), we will determine whether play is safe to proceed.

Play or competition may be suspended or cancelled if the time between flash and clap is 30 seconds or less. The game-day administrator will sound the full-time siren twice-in-a-row to signal that play is to be immediately suspended, and then issue a verbal warning via the Public Address system to all participants, officials, and supporters, to find safe shelter.

Play or competition may only be resumed if the time between flash and clap has exceeded 30 seconds, for at least 10 minutes.

3. Extreme Heat

36°C (and above)
Play/competition may be suspended.

31-35°C
Play may be split into ten (10) minute intervals to allow for a short (1 minute) drinks break.

4. Poor Air Quality/PollutionHealth warnings will be issued for asthma sufferers via the approved TJT public communication channels prior to and during competition, and via the Public Address system during competition.

Resumption of play

Where a game has been suspended temporarily, and the normal allotted time period for the match has expired (or there is less than five (5) minutes remaining), that match will be deemed concluded and the result will be determined as per the competition rules (by-laws).

Where a game has been temporarily suspended, and there is at least five (5) minutes remaining within the normal allotted time period, the game may resume. The match will continue until the end of the normal allotted time period and "make-up" time will not be allowed.

Cancellation of Play

If the TJT Chairperson, or its delegated official, determines that it is in the best interest of the participants and competition to cancel the day's scheduled matches, they will:

  • If before competition has commenced, endeavour to make the decision by 3pm on the day of competition.
  • If competition has already commenced, make an announcement via the Public Address system to inform all participants, officials, and supporters, of the decision.
  • Provide an updated notification to the TJT approved public communication channels as soon as possible.

The outcome of matches that are unable to be played due to the enactment of this policy will be determined in accordance with the current Competition Rules.

Adopted 2017
Reviewed annually