The health, safety and well-being of the youth players, members, coaches and staff within the Goshen Soccer Club is our utmost priority. The return-to-play policy set forth by ENYYSA is the culmination of New York State’s mandate and US Soccer’s guidelines. These have been carefully formulated to prevent the vast spread of COVID-19 and to prevent injury to players upon return to play. The conditions during this pandemic have continually evolved and changed weekly, sometimes daily. We know additional information and new guidelines are forthcoming.
They will change at any time, so we must be flexible. These guidelines will be updated as necessary. The Goshen Soccer Club remains committed to a safe return to soccer. As we return to soccer, we ask that all of our members remain compliant with the return to play guidelines for the health, well-being and future of soccer in our club. We recognize that many families and individuals will have reservations about re-opening and reintegrating. We must be respectful, sensitive and flexible. If a parent, child or coach is not comfortable returning to play, they shouldn’t.
ENYYSA is recommending the following criteria to educate its members on CDC guidelines, New York State Department of Health, and US Youth Soccer Guidelines to maintain a healthy environment once players, coaches, volunteers, and spectators return to the field:
RETURN TO SOCCER ACTIVITY GUIDELINES
❖ Maintain a complete list of coaches, youth athletes, and league officials present at each event to include the date, beginning and ending time of the event, name, address and phone contact to be made available upon the request from the local health department.
❖ Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces on the field surface at least daily, or between uses as much as possible. Use of shared objects and equipment should be limited or cleaned between uses by each individual if possible.
❖ 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 player or coach has contracted COVID-19 and may have been infectious to others while at a youth activity, while maintaining confidentiality.
❖ Be sensitive and accommodating to parents that may be uncomfortable with returning to play too quickly.
❖ 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 local health officials. (identify Risk Tolerance)
Club Responsibilities:
❖ Create and distribute protocols to its members.
❖ Contact any additional insurers if your club holds any policies outside of what is included in your Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association’s membership to ensure all coverages.
❖ Post signs in highly visible locations (i.e.., at entrances and exits, and in restrooms) that promote everyday protective measures and describe how to stop the spread of germs such as by properly washing hands and properly wearing a cloth face covering