May 29, 2020 - Kansas Youth Soccer Return-To-Play County Rules
Kansas Youth Soccer Member Directors and Administrators,
We are encouraging Kansas Youth Soccer members to continue to take the social responsibility for the health and safety of our players, coaches, families and overall soccer community. With the State of Kansas moving jurisdiction and enforcement of Covid-19 enforcement to the county level. We still believe the best plan of action follow the State Ad Astra Reopening Plan.
With that being said, it is important that you completely understand your home county and city governments plans for reopening. Many have different dates, definitions, requirements for group gatherings and need to be adhered to continue forward as we look to comebat Covid-19.
Please remember that each facility has the right to enforce their own Covid-19 safety guidelines. That may be above and beyond the home county recommendations.
We ask our member clubs to be respectful of the right of private facilities owners and public park officials to continue do business in a manner that is in the best interest of limiting the spread of the Covid-19 virus.
Kansas Youth Soccer is strongly recommending and encouraging our members to continue to follow the current principles and responsibilities:
Club Responsibilities:
- Create and distribute protocols to its members.
- Contact insurers to ensure all coverages.
- Have an effective communication plan in place, identify strategies for working with public health to notify adult leaders, youth and their families if the organization learns a participant or adult leader has developed COVID-19 and may have been infectious to others while at a youth activity, while maintaining confidentiality.
- Be sensitive and accommodating to parents that many be uncomfortable with returning to play too quickly.
- Have an action plan in place, in case of a positive test.
- Train and educate all staff to protocols and requirements, including state and local regulations, CDC recommendations and other necessary information.
- Be prepared to shut down and stop operations. Develop plans for temporary closure of indoor facilities and cancel outdoor activities or camps to properly disinfect and ensure other adult leaders or youth are not infected.
- Provide adequate field space for social distancing.
- Provide hand sanitizing stations and waste receptacles at fields.
- Develop a relationship and a dialog with health local officials. (Identify Risk Tolerance)
Coach Responsibilities:
- Ensure the health and safety of the Athletes.
- Inquire how the athletes are feeling, send them home should you believe they act or look ill.
- Follow all state and local health protocols.
- Ensure all athletes have their individual equipment (ball, water, bag etc.)
- Coach is the only person to handle cones, disk etc.
- All training outdoors and ensure social distancing per state or local health guidelines.
- Always wear a face mask, when not actively coaching, maintain social distance requirements from players based on state and local health requirements.
- Have fun, stay positive – players and parents are looking to you to stay calm, supportive and caring during this time.
- The use of scrimmage vest/Bibs is not recommended at this time.
Parent Responsibilities:
- Ensure child is healthy, 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 training wear mask if outside your car.
- Ensure child’s clothing is washed after every training session.
- Ensure all equipment, cleats, ball, shin guards etc. are sanitized before and after every training.
- Notify club immediately if your child becomes ill for any reason.
- Do not assist coach with equipment before or after training.
- Be sure your child has necessary sanitizer with them at every training.
Players Responsibilities:
- Take temperature daily.
- Wash hands thoroughly before and after training.
- Bring and use, hand sanitizer with you to every training.
- Wear mask before and immediately after all training.
- Do not touch or share anyone else’s equipment, water, snack or bag.
- Practice social distancing, place bags and equipment at least 6 feet apart.
- Wash and sanitize all equipment before and after every training.
- No group celebrations, no high 5’s, Hugs, handshakes etc.?
We want everyone to get back to playing the game of soccer the way it is supposed to be enjoyed and meant to be played. We also don’t want to jeopardize going backwards and causing a longer layoff from getting back to traditional training and competition.
We need everyone to do their part to make sure we are keeping everyone safe during this time of uncertainty. Thank you for helping to set the example of how can beat the common opponent of Covid-19.
Yours in Soccer,
Joe Burger
Executive Director
jburger@kansasyouthsoccer.org
The information in these RTP documents are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All content, including any text, graphics, images, and information, are provided for general informational purposes only. The knowledge and circumstances around COVID-19 are changing constantly and, as such, Kansas Youth Soccer makes no representation and assumes no responsibility for the completeness of this information. Further, you should seek advice from medical professionals and/or public health officials if you have specific questions about your return to training and eventually competition. Given the changing pandemic environment, these guidelines may change at any time. Additional guidelines will follow as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve.