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Youth Club

FPYC Soccer COVID Protocols and Guidelines

FPYC Soccer COVID Protocols and Guidelines

 

FPYC’s top priority is to provide a safe place for all players, parents, coaches, games officials & spectators to build friendships and learn life lessons while learning and enjoying soccer. All FPYC COVID protocols and guidelines are based on current Commonwealth of Virginia , CDC, Fairfax City and County guidelines.

Our Protocol and Guidelines are listed below and can also be downloaded by clicking on one of the links under the Download Files on previous page.

                                                                            

FPYC SOCCER

COVID PROTOCOLS AND GUIDELINES

General Guidelines for Training

All participants (coaches and players) must answer/complete Pre-Screening questions before coming to practice (see page 7).

Prior to attending any training event, each player should have his or her temperature checked and refrain from participation if he or she has a fever (≥100.4 degrees F).

Anyone who self-reports a temperature of 100.4 or more should be sent home and not allowed to participate for a minimum of 10 days

If a player/coach thinks they are sick, stay home! Specifically: symptoms of acute respiratory disease (i.e. cough, sore throat, shortness of breath), fever, sudden loss of smell or taste, OR been diagnosed with COVID-19. If a coach, administrator, or Club official has a concern about a player's health, they have the authority to send the player home.

Attendance will be kept at each practice. Players are required to check-in before taking the field.

A designated space will be provided for each player to place their equipment and where they will take water break. Follow social distancing guidelines (6 feet apart) for Station spacing.

All adults, coaches and spectators must wear masks at both practices and games.

Each player is required to bring their own equipment to use at each session. This includes: a soccer ball, shin guards, water, hand sanitizer, mask. Players who do not have these will not be permitted to practice.

No one is to share water, towels, or any personal equipment.

Parents should report direct and close contact exposures (primary and secondary) directly to the appropriate FPYC POC.

Parent Responsibilities

Ensure each child is healthy and ready and able to participate. Check your child’s temperature daily.

Limited or no carpooling.

Stay in car or adhere to social distance requirements, based on state and local health requirements. When at practice/training, wear mask if you are in close proximity to the field.

Ensure child’s clothing is washed/sanitized after every training session.

Ensure all equipment, cleats, ball, shin guards etc. are sanitized before and after every training.

Seek medical advice if your child becomes ill for any reason.

Drop off and pick-up your child at designated times to assist with social distancing.

Be sure your child has required equipment with them at every practice session.

Adhere to all game day protocols.

Player Responsibilities

Take temperature daily, or with the assistance of a parent.

Sanitize hands thoroughly before and after training.

Bring required equipment with you to every training.

Wear a mask before and immediately after all training sessions.  Players are welcome to wear masks during practice/training/games.

Do not touch or share anyone else’s equipment, water, snack, bag, or ball.

Practice social distancing. Place personal soccer bags and equipment at a spot designated by the team coach.

Sanitize all equipment before and after every training.

No group celebrations, no high 5’s, hugs, handshakes etc.

Anytime players are not actively participating they should immediately put their masks back on (walking to/from the field, resting between exercises, sitting on the sideline, during group talks).  As stated above – all players are welcome to wear masks at all times during practice/training/games.

Spectator Policy

No more than 2 spectators per player are allowed at a games/practices.

Spectators must socially distance on the sidelines.

Spectators must wear masks at every event.

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam Announced New COVID Restrictions for Youth Sports Spectators: Effective march 01, 2021.

The “Spectator Restriction” does not apply to Players, Coaches, and game day official.  i.e. Referee, Clock and Score Keepers etc.

FPYC Game Day Procedures & Protocols

PRE-DEPARTURE

· Each family should administer their health questionnaire at home. Anyone displaying symptoms of being sick, having a fever above 100.4 degrees F, has been in close contact with anyone who was sick or, has tested positive for Covid-19 or been around someone who has tested positive for Covid-19 in the past 14 days should stay home.

· Goalkeepers must sanitize/wash their gloves before arriving at the match.

ARRIVING AT THE FIELD

· Only coaches, players, and game officials are allowed to enter the field. All are required to wear a mask from the car to the field.

· Coaches/approved volunteers are required to wear a mask for the duration of the event.

· Players should space their belongings out to ensure appropriate spacing.

· Spectators are to remain outside of the fence line (where applicable), social distance themselves from others who are not in their immediate family and wear a mask when in attendance.  On fields where there are no physical barriers (fences) spectators are to remain at least 10 feet away feet the end line and side lines of the playing field.

PRE-MATCH GUIDELINES

· Cones may not be handled by players.

· Visiting team will have the first half kick-off and the home team will choose the direction they will attack.

MATCH GUIDELINES

· Substitutes must wear masks and maintain social distancing on team benches

· A single sub may report to the half-line to sub, additional substitutes may be made from the bench.

· Players must avoid physical contact when subbing on or off the field.

· In the event of an injury, family members may enter the field to assist, as necessary.

· Coaches and players must remain 10 ft from touchline during the match.

· Referees should use an electronic noisemaker when possible.

POST-MATCH GUIDELINES

· Teams must exit the field area directly after the end of the match (there should be no

post-game "talks").

· No post-match line-ups, and high 5's.

o A "thank you" or "good game" and wave or thumbs up from a distance is permissible.

· All teams must clear their sideline area of any trash as they exit.

· All coaches, players, and match officials must wear a mask from the field to their car.

VISITING TEAM EXPECTATIONS

· All visiting teams and their Coaches, Players and Spectators must follow all of the guidelines presented in this return to play Covid-19 document.

PRE-SCREEN COVID QUESTIONS

Before attending any FPYC Soccer permitted activity:

Players and coaches must answer the following COVID-19 Questions.

  • At the first practice, there will be a form that requires a parent signature that attests that players will adhere to the questions below

  • All FPYC Coaches/Teams will keep attendance for each practice/game for the purposes of contract tracing

1) Have you had any signs or symptoms of a fever in the past 24 hours such as chills, sweats, felt "feverish" or had a temperature that is elevated for you/100.4 or greater?

2) Do you have any of the following symptoms?

· Cough

· Shortness of Breath or Chest Tightness

· Sore Throat

· Nasal Congestion/Runny Nose

· Myalgia (Body Aches)

· Loss of Taste and/or Smell

· Diarrhea

· Nausea

· Vomiting

· Fever/Chills/Sweats

3) Any other signs of illness that cannot be attributed to another health condition?

4) Have you traveled internationally or outside of state in the last 14 days?

5) Have you knowingly come in contact with someone in the past 14 days with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19?

COVID REPORTING PROTOCOL

Proper Reporting Protocol to FPYC is KEY in helping to prevent the spread of COVID

NCSL/Travel – Mike Anderson – 703-606-8101

SFL/House Soccer – Becky McNaughton – 703-201-7241

Please include the following when notifying FPYC - date/timeline, level of contact/exposure, name of the contact(s).

o The FPYC COVID POC will contact the respective Head Coach immediately after receiving the incident report. The incident report will consist of the infection date/timeline, level of contact/exposure, name of the contact(s) and the assigned COVID protocol.

o All confirmed levels of contact/exposure will be communicated by e-mail.

o The FPYC Coach will be notified of the date/timeline, level of contact, name of contacts and the assigned COVID protocol prior to an email being sent.

                        

*All info contained in the COVID incident report will be confidential and this info will only be known by the appropriate FPYC COVID POC’s and the Head Coach of the affected team.

Contact and Exposure Levels

CDC Definitions:

Direct (Positive COVID report): FPYC Player or Family member who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Close Contact: Someone who was within 6 feet of a player or family member testing COVID positive for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period* starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to testing date).

Shape, arrow  Description automatically generated Shape, arrow  Description automatically generatedIsolation: Separates those that have tested COVID positive, from people who are not sick.

Quarantine: Separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to someone that tested positive to see if they become sick.

DIRECT CONTACT:

Example: If a Parent in a household or a Teammate test COVID-19 positive, Parent and player are referred to as Direct Contact.

CLOSE CONTACT/ Primary Exposure

Example: A player that lives in a house or trains/plays with someone that tested positive for COVID. Player is referred to as a close contact/primary exposure.

CONTACT WITH CLOSE CONTACT/Secondary Exposure

Example: A player(s) that trained or played with a player that lives in a house with someone that has tested COVID positive. Player(s) is referred to as a contact with a close contact/ secondary exposure.

CDC Recommended Guidelines for LEVELS of CONTACT

DIRECT CONTACT:

· Player and or Coach Test Positive

· Player/Coach testing positive must “Isolate” for 14 days

· Out of an Abundance of Caution: If a family member tests positive AFTER a Player/Coach test positive (during the 14 days of Isolation), Player/Coach must “re- set” from the day the family member tested positive.

CDC Recommended Guidelines for LEVELS of CONTACT

CONTACT WITH CLOSE CONTACT/ Secondary Exposure

· CDC recommendation: If you have been around someone who was identified as a close contact to a person testing COVID-19 positive, closely monitor yourself for any symptoms of COVID-19.

· FPYC out of an abundance of caution: if a player and or coach have been around someone who was identified as a close contact to a person testing COVID -19 positive, within 48 hours, FPYC will notify team to quarantine until close contact/primary exposure player or coach tests for COVID. If the player or coach does not test, the team will remain in quarantine.

· FPYC understands the CDC has changed the quarantine time to 7-10 days. Based on the thorough reporting of the “timeline”, a quarantine recommendation of 7, 10, 14 days, will be determined case by case.

CDC Recommended Guidelines

Who needs to quarantine?

People who have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19— excluding people who have had COVID-19 within the past 3 months.

People who have tested positive for COVID-19 do not need to quarantine or get tested again for up to 3 months if they do not develop symptoms again. People who develop symptoms again within 3 months of their first bout of COVID-19 may need to be tested again if there is no other cause identified for their symptoms.

What counts as close contact?

· You were within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more

· You provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19

· You had direct physical contact with the person (hugged or kissed them)

· You shared eating or drinking utensils

· They sneezed, coughed, or somehow got respiratory droplets on you.

· Follow the steps below if you believe that you have been in close contact

Stay home and monitor your health

· Stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19

· Watch for fever (100.4◦F), cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19

· If possible, stay away from others, especially people who are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19

Additional Links

In Virginia Phase 3 began on July 1, 2020

Link to Governor’s Press release about Phase 3: https://www.governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/all-releases/2020/june/headline-858266- en.html

Governor’s Phase 3 guidelines (Youth Sports can be found on page 23): https://www.governor.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/governor-of- virginia/pdf/Forward-Virginia-Phase-Three-Guidelines.pdf

Governor’s Phase 3 guidelines in Spanish (Youth Sports can be found on page 23): https://www.governor.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/governor-of- virginia/pdf/Virginia-Forward-Phase-Three-Guidelines-SP.pdf