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Jun, 2020
Rush New England and Mass Youth Soccer is dedicated to protecting the youth of our organizations.
We will be following the strict guidelines set forth by USYS and Mass youth soccer.
Safety will be a priority with stepping back onto the pitch.
We will be currently following Phase 2 guidelines and when deemed safe we will move onto Phase 3.
With Soccer classified as a contact sport, activities under this phase will be allowed but will be limited to no contact drills and training exercises only. No scrimmages, league games or tournaments may be held during the duration of this phase. This includes friendlies, intra-squad scrimmages or other arranged games. Programs must separate participants into groups of no more than 10 participants including coaches and staff. Larger playing areas and surfaces such as athletic fields may be used by more than one group of 10 at a time, provided that adequate social distance and group separation can be maintained. To ensure group separation, groups must be spaced at least 20 feet apart while sharing a playing surface.
Criteria to participate in these Phase 2 training sessions should adhere to these guidelines (adapted from US Youth Soccer Guidelines)
• No signs or symptoms of COVID-19 in the past 14 days and have not been exposed to someone that has been ill in 14 days.
• Live in a general location for 14 days prior to beginning group training. This requirement reduces the risk of introducing COVID-19 into the training group by someone traveling from a different region.
• Take temperature before going to training.
• Upon arrival to training, coaches or staff should ask each athlete if they are experiencing any signs or symptoms of COVID-19. If the athlete has any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 they should be sent home and instructed to contact their healthcare provider. They will not be allowed to return to training until they are cleared by a healthcare provider. A doctor’s note must be provided.
• Participants, organizers, spectators, volunteers and facility employees in high risk categories should not participate or attend organized sport activities. List of high risk categories can be found here.
• Be sure appropriate infection prevention supplies (e.g. hand sanitizer, facial tissues, facial coverings) are present in multiple targeted areas (outlined later in this document).
• Small group training should take place in an area where physical distancing (6’ apart) can be maintained.
• All spectators must adhere to CDC and DPH assemblage and distance guidelines. Spectators, nonessential visitors, staff, volunteers and activities involving external groups or organizations should be limited as much as possible. Operators are encouraged to mark off spectator/chaperone viewing sites to allow for social distancing.
• Spectators/Chaperones must practice social distancing including wearing face coverings. • Participants should use their own equipment and be instructed to sanitize their equipment after every training session.
• Each participant will be required to have their own water bottle, towel, and personal hygiene products (hand sanitizer, facial tissues, face coverings). Players are not required to wear face coverings during soccer activities, but must wear them when arriving and leaving a session. Coaches and spectators will be required to wear face coverings by DPH guidelines (currently whenever within 6 feet of others a face covering must be worn). Tissues, wipes, or disposable gloves must be properly disposed in the appropriate receptacles.
• Follow cleaning schedule/protocol of equipment (cones, goals etc.) with disinfectant before, during, and after training.
• Appropriate personal protective equipment (gloves, face coverings/masks) must be worn as required per DPH guidelines.
• Wear a face covering, when not actively playing and when a player cannot abide by the physical/social distance requirements from coaches, other players and parents.
• Soccer will be permitted to be played by the players under the rules/laws of the sport.
In Phase 2 Indoor athletic facilities shall be open and available exclusively for the use of supervised sports programs, including sports camps (which must comply with Reopening Massachusetts camp guidelines), for youths under the age of 18. Locker rooms and indoor common areas in these facilities must remain closed.
One way entrances and exits must be instituted while still adhering to established fire and building codes.