Winter Sports Update 4 

Dear Bear Families,

Section One has announced that the tentative date for all Varsity, JV, and Freshman winter sports will be January 4, 2021 and the tentative date for Modified Winter sports will be January 19, 2021.

On behalf of the Athletic Department and the coaching staff, we look forward to sharing your child's experience as we learn more about COVID-19 and the challenges that we are presented with on a daily basis regarding athletics.  We continue to plan and align our procedures with the current guidance from the New York State Education Department, the CDC, and the Department of Health, as well as the NYSPHSAA Return to Play Guidelines.

We continue to focus on providing our student-athletes the best educational opportunities available.  Our community plays a role in sustaining a winter season athletic program.  Please continue to follow current practices to mitigate the impact of COVID-19.

• Wear a mask
• Practice social distancing
• Wash your hands

We will share new information when it becomes available.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (914) 488-8272 or at cdrosopoulos@briarcliffschools.org.  As always, thank you for the support of our athletic program and our entire school community.  Stay healthy, stay safe, and stay BEARS' strong.

Sincerely,

Chris Drosopoulos, Director of Athletics

For up to the minute updates, please follow me on Twitter @cdrops3

"The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible."

                                                                                                       ---Winston Churchill

2020-2021 - Starting Dates - as of 11/20 

• Fall Sports (Season 1) - September 29, 2020
• Fall Sports (Season 2) - March 1, 2021

• Varsity, JV, & Freshman Winter Sports - January 4, 2021
• Modified Winter Sports - January 19, 2021

• Spring Sports - April 19, 2021

Family ID Registration Instructions

Please read the directions below to begin your registration process.

Message from the Health Office:  Please be advised that as always, Varsity and JV student-athletes must first register in Family ID and then be cleared by our District Medical Director. Kindly submit a current physical (dated on or after September 2019) and any other documentation to the school nurse via scan/email or fax to jmccann@briarcliffschools.org or fax 914-432-8218.  It is important to register and submit forms as soon as possible so as not to delay clearance.  Failure to meet the September 27^th deadline, may result in your child(ren) not receiving clearance or being eligible to begin participation during the first day(s) of practice.  

Parents/Guardians should register by doing the following.  Go to the Briarcliff Website home page www.briarcliffschools.org  Click on Parents – HS/MS– there is a drop-down box, click on Family ID (Athletics Family ID)

 Follow these steps:

1. Next, click on the program you would like to register your child in, scroll down and click on the green button Register Now.  If this is your first time using FamilyID, click Create Account. Click Log In, if you already have a FamilyID account.
2. Create your secure FamilyID account by entering the account owner First and Last names (parent/guardian), E-mail address and password. Select I Agree to the FamilyID Terms of Service. Click Create Account.
3. You will receive an email with a link to activate your new account. (If you don’t see the email, check your E-mail filters (spam, junk, etc.).
4. Click on the link in your activation E-mail, which will log you in to FamilyID.com
5. Once in the registration form, complete the information requested. All fields with a red* are required to have an answer.
6. Click the Save & Continue button when your form is complete.
7. Review your registration summary.

For returning parents, please use the following directions:

1. Parents/Guardians should register by doing the following.  Go to the Briarcliff Website home page www.briarcliffschools.org  Click on Parents – HS/MS– there is a drop-down box, click on Family ID (Athletics Family ID
2. Login using the email address and password you created previously (do not create a new account)
3. Choose the sport
4. Click on “Add Participant Below or Click to Select” and pick your child’s name.
5. Update health and demographic information, if necessary.
6. Sign-off on seasonal agreements.
7. Save and submit.

SUPPORT:

If you need assistance with registration, contact FamilyID at: support@familyid.com or 888-800-5583 ext. 1. Support is available 7 days per week and messages will be returned promptly.  

Briarcliff UFSD Athletic Department Tryout Procedures

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE VERSION OF TRYOUT PROCEDURES

Fall 2020

Dear Parents/Guardians of BHS Student-Athletes,

The athletic team selection process is without question the Briarcliff Manor UFSD’s coaching staff’s most challenging responsibility.  In order to create procedures that will give every student an equal opportunity during the team selection process, the Athletic Director and the Assistant Athletic Director evaluated all facets of the tryout process to establish best practices for the district. This handbook codifies those practices.

We are confident that these guidelines will help not only our athletes, but also our coaching staff as they navigate through the process of identifying players during team selection and help us to provide the best possible experience for our student-athletes.

Go Bears!

Sincerely,

Chris Drosopoulos

Director of Athletics

BRIARCLIFF MANOR UFSD ATHLETIC

TRYOUT PROCEDURES

1.  Number of Days for Tryouts

Varsity & JV – Minimum of 3 days

Extending Tryouts

Tryouts will be extended as needed at the discretion of the coach(es).  Tryouts are not to exceed 6 days for Varsity and JV.

The Athletic Department will split tryout groups as needed to make smaller groups.  As each sport is unique, there will not be a specific cutoff number, rather the decision as to whether to create a second, third, etc., tryout group will be made by the Athletic Director in consultation with the coaching staff.

2.  Number of Coaches Evaluating Students During Tryouts

There will be a minimum of two coaches evaluating students during the tryout period.  The best practice is to have at least two coaches and potentially an additional coach(es), when available, to help evaluate players.  A third coach is not always available, but the Athletic Department will work to find a third evaluator for at least one of the tryout days.

3.  Evaluation Rubric

All evaluating coaches will use a rubric to score student-athletes and will compare the rubric with their fellow evaluator(s) at the end of the evaluation period when making a shared decision about team selection.  The rubric will include, but may not be limited to, the following elements for scoring:

• Play during scrimmage (if able to scrimmage, sport-dependent)

• Attitude

• Attendance

• Sport-specific skills

• Physical fitness

• Intangibles, leadership, hustle

• Knowledge of the game

• Know their role

• Respects teammates and is respected

4.  Tryout Procedures

The following procedures shall serve as a guideline for coaches to follow.  However, coaches may also include other elements they feel are helpful in evaluating student- athletes.

• Skill-Related Drills – Students will be brought through a series of sport related drills to assess their ability.

• Stations – Stations may also be used, depending on the sport.  Stations are especially helpful for sports with tryout taking place inside (e.g., baseball and softball).

• Conditioning – Students’ level of fitness will be tested during tryouts.

• Scrimmaging – Students will be given the opportunity to scrimmage with peers in sports where possible, giving coaches the ability to assess students in situations approximating a game.

5.  Notification of Team Selection

After the team selection process has taken place, students will be invited to a face-to-face meeting with the coaching staff on the BHS campus.  All students will be brought in for a meeting regardless if they will be invited to join the team or not.  The meeting location will be such that the student will be able to enter the meeting room/area from one location, and exit from another, to allow for student privacy.  There will be a minimum of two coaches present for the meeting.

For students who do not make the team, the coaching staff will go over the team selection rubric and give very specific feedback to the student to explain why they were mot selected.  In addition, those students who do not make the team will be given information on how they can improve in that sport over the course of the year in an effort to give that student athlete a better chance of making the team the subsequent year.  Unfortunately, team selection is unavoidable.  Roster size is dependent on the number of athletes the Athletic Department judges appropriate given the level, the facilities available, and the number of coaches available. 

6.  Preparing your son/daughter for the possibility of not making a team

Not making a team can be devastating for a student-athlete.  It is critical that students and parents be prepared in the event that this is the case.

Joel H. Fish, PhD, Director at the Center for Sport Psychology, and author of “101 Ways to be a Terrific Sport Parent” (Morgan James Publishing, 2013), offers this helpful advice on how parents can help support and encourage the young athlete:

• Be self-aware parents – Parents need to be aware of their own attitudes towards making the team, and towards winning and losing because inevitability these attitudes will be picked up by their children.  Fish cautions, “I believe parents are extremely well intentioned, but parents often have an emotional response to their child not making the team.”  Parents who display anger or immediately want to challenge the coach’s decision are adding an extra dimension to their child’s burden.  Charles Kuntzleman, author of over fifty books on fitness and health, says that “The most powerful thing is to not display, when they get home, displeasure with what the coach did.  Parents have to learn to bite their tongue; it’s demoralizing to the team, and a great disservice to the child.”

• Give your child a chance to feel.  Parents can help their child cope by giving him or her ‘permission’ top have a normal response.  Fish says, “There’s a tendency for parents to rush in there and say, ‘it’s ok’ – sometimes we need to say to our kids ‘that must hurt’, or give them a hug, or not say anything.”  Parents who respond to their child not making the team by saying “Well, soccer is a stupid sport anyways!” invalidate the hurt their child is feeling as well as dismissing something that may well be very important to him or her.

• Help your child see the big picture.  There’s much more to being successful in life than simply making a sports team, however important it may seem at the time, and parents can help their children realize this.  Fish suggests that, before a tryout, parents make a list together with their child of multiple goals which reflect what a tryout is really about.  One of those goals can be making the team, but include others as well, such as having fun, trying your best, being a good teammate, and learning something.  Says Fish, “When not all the eggs are in the outcome basket, that can be really helpful for a child who doesn’t make the team, because he’s going with multiple definitions of what it means to be successful.”

Parents can also help their children realize that even though they didn’t make it onto the team they were hoping for, they have other options.  A community league may offer an opportunity to get involved, or maybe a different sport or activity altogether would provide a fun and exciting challenge.  Some athletes who have been cut from one team have gone on to be very successful in a totally different area.  Others who were at one time cut from their high school teams (like basketball great Michael Jordan) have gone on to become outstanding athletes.  Every young athlete or performer who is making an effort to succeed will eventually encounter some stiff obstacles and competition.  Parents can help their kids to not only handle these setbacks graciously, but to actually grow from them.

7.  Contacting Coach Regarding Tryouts

• If you as a parent/guardian have specific questions regarding your son or daughter’s tryout, we ask that you wait a period of 24 hours prior to sending the respective coach an email to set up a time to facilitate a brief phone call.  We appreciate your cooperation in advance.  Note - When asking about your son/daughter’s tryout, please only discuss your own son or daughter.  Coaches will not discuss other student-athletes with you.

• Please also remember that your son or daughter’s status on AAU, Club teams, and other teams that are facilitated outside of the district are not a consideration in selecting student-athletes for interscholastic teams at Briarcliff High School.  We thank you again for your cooperation.

 

 

Briarcliff UFSD Athletic Re-entry Plan

2020-2021

 

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS ATHLETIC RE-ENTRY PLAN

Overview

Over the next few weeks, directives may be implemented from the New York State Governor’s Office, New York State Education Department (NYSED), or New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA). Consequently, this plan will be altered as directives are provided.

Our top priority is to provide the safest possible re-entry to interscholastic athletics for our student-athletes, coaches, support staff and spectators. This plan follows the guidelines provided by state and local health departments, while coordinating with the recommendations of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) and the Section One COVID-19 Task Force.  

At this time, we will only begin sports categorized as “low” risk by the New York State Department of Health. These sports include soccer, field hockey, cross country, and tennis and will begin on September 29, 2020.  

Pre-Participation Procedures

-       FamilyID was opened on September 14, 2020 for Fall sports registration.

Protocols to Limit COVID-19 Exposure and Transmission

1.     Screenings

a.     Student-athletes will be screened daily for a temperature using a handheld infrared thermometer. Coaches will perform these temperature screenings on each individual on their respective teams prior to the start of each practice or competition, or before boarding a bus to any away competition. Any student who has a temperature of 100.0°F or greater (based on NYSDOH guidelines) will be brought to an isolation area outdoors and must be picked up by their parent/guardian within 15 minutes. A designated school representative (assistant athletic director) will stay with the student until the parent/guardian arrives. Athletes will not be penalized for failing the screening process resulting in the inability to practice or compete.

b.     Parents will be required to answer a health screening questionnaire for their child/children on a daily basis. District approved screening questions will be utilized. This will be sent out via a Microsoft Form. If this form is not received by 1PM, the student will not be allowed to attend practice or participate in a competition that day.

c.     Coaches will be screened for a temperature using a handheld infrared thermometer.  This will be performed by a member of the athletic department daily. Any coach with a temperature of 100.0°F or greater must leave. In their absence, an assistant coach will run practice.  

d.     Coaches will be required to answer a health screening questionnaire daily prior to coming to practice each day. District approved screening questions will be utilized. This will be sent out via a Microsoft Form. If this form is not received by 1PM, the Coach will not be permitted to attend practice or competition that day.

e.     Officials will be screened for a temperature using a handheld infrared thermometer.  This will be performed by a member of the athletic department daily. Any official with a temperature of 100.0°F or greater must leave.

f.      Officials will be required to answer a health screening questionnaire prior to reporting to BHS for their game. District approved screening questions will be utilized. This will be sent out via a Microsoft Form. If this form is not received by 1PM the official will not be permitted to proceed the field.

g.     The athletic department will report any issues to the school health office and District Medical Director. In consultation with local health departments, they will determine when the referral for diagnostic COVID-19 testing is needed.

2.     COVID-19 Symptoms and Diagnosis

a.     The athletic department will follow the school district’s protocol for any student-athlete or coach/staff member who presents themselves with COVID-19 symptoms or is diagnosed with COVID-19.

3.     Proper Hygiene

a.     Coaches and student-athletes should wash their hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water before and after practice each day. When hand washing is not possible, the use of hand sanitizer is acceptable. 

b.     Student-athletes must wear their own appropriate workout clothing (do not share clothing) and individual clothing/towels should be washed and cleaned after every workout immediately upon returning home.

c.     Hand sanitizer stations will be located at the entrance/exit of all venues/fields/practice locations.

d.     Coaches will carry hand sanitizer in their medical kits. Coaches are the ONLY ones who should be taking things out of the medical kits.

e.     Hand washing/sanitizing breaks should be part of the practice plan. Student-athletes will be instructed to wash/sanitize hands at every water break.

f.      Spitting is prohibited.

4.     Cleaning and disinfecting

a.     All cleaning and disinfecting guidelines from the CDC and DOH will be followed.

b.     The district will provide appropriate cleaning supplies to coaches.

c.     Any shared equipment used during practices or competition will be cleaned/disinfected daily by coaches. 

5.     Use of face coverings

a.     Coaches, athletics staff, officials and spectators must wear appropriate face covering at all times.

b.     Student-athletes must have a face covering on at all times.  The only time it is acceptable to be removed is if the covering is not tolerable during physical activity.  The student must remove themselves from the practice/competition and go to their assigned floor spot to remove their mask. The acceptable face covering for COVID-19 during practices & games are surgical, disposable masks that cover both the mouth and the nose.  It is vital that the masks are worn while participating in all aspects of interscholastic athletics

c.     The district will supply extra face coverings should any coach, staff or student-athlete need a replacement covering.

6.     Practice Schedules

a.     Practice arrival and departure times and locations will be staggered to limit contact between groups and guardians as much as possible.

Education

1.     Coaches

a.     Coaches will be required to complete the NFHS COVID-19 for Administrators and Coaches Course.

b.     Athletic department will review guidance and protocols for practice and games with coaches during pre-season meetings.

c.     Coaches will be required to review the COVID-19 videos created by the school nurses. Coaches need to be familiar with the signs and symptoms of COVID-19.

2.     Student-athletes

a.     Coaches will review expectations and protocols with student-athletes

b.     Student-athletes will be reminded daily of hand washing and proper hygiene.

3.     Parents/Spectators

a.     Athletic department will provide relative information via written correspondences.

b.     Expectation signage will be displayed at events.

c.     PA announcements will be made.

Safe Return to Practice Environment

1.     Training Modifications

a.     Coaches will gradually increase duration and intensity of practice.

b.     Coaches will develop pods of players.

2.     Equipment

a.     When possible, equipment and gear should be assigned to one person for the season.

b.     There should be no shared equipment such as towels, clothing, shoes, or sports specific gear.

c.     Shared equipment (balls, etc.) will need to be cleaned/sanitized before storing after each practice/game.

d.     There will be no use of shared pinnies at practice.

3.     Social distancing

a.     Social distancing measures must be maintained as much as each particular sport will allow.

4.     Hydration

a.     Student-athletes are responsible for providing their own water for any and all practices/competitions.

b.     Water bottles should be clearly labeled and not shared with teammates.

c.     Student-athletes must bring and use their own water bottles to practice/games daily. (2-3 bottles or the equivalent of 40 oz). 

Safe Return to Interscholastic Competitions

1.     Opponents

a.     Athletic department will communicate ahead of time with the incoming schools, event personnel, and officials about procedures, policies and guidelines.  

b.     Opposing schools will be expected to abide by any policies, procedures and guidelines that the Briarcliff Manor School District has adopted.

2.     Spectators – Protocols and practices are still being developed by school districts across Section One.

3.     Sidelines

a.     Essential personnel (coaches, athletic trainer, school administration) only.

b.     Appropriate face coverings must be worn by essential personnel at all times.

c.     Social distancing must be maintained by all personnel, coaches and athletes on the sidelines.

4.     Sportsmanship Practices

a.     Coaches should devise methods to congratulate teammates and opponents during and after each game that maintain 6 feet of distance.

b.     No hugging, hand shaking, fist bumps or any physical contact.

c.     Social distancing must be maintained during the National Anthem.

5.     Facilities

a.     Restrooms will be cleaned routinely.

b.     Only one individual permitted in restroom at a time.

c.     Signage will be placed around the athletic fields reinforcing social distancing requirements and protocols.

d.     Hand sanitizer will be readily available around facilities.

6.     Transportation

a.     Student-athletes and coaches will follow screening procedures prior to boarding the bus.

b.     Student-athletes will maintain 6 feet of distance and wear a mask while waiting to board the bus.

c.     Coaches and student-athletes must wear acceptable face coverings at all times on buses.

d.     Student-athletes will be loaded from the back to the front of the bus and then unloaded the bus in a controlled manner upon arrival from front to back by seat.

e.     Only siblings can sit together on the bus.

f.      Social distancing will be enforced at all times on the bus.

Other Considerations

1.     Inclement Weather

a.     In the event of inclement weather, practices will end and student-athletes must go home immediately.

b.     Student-athletes who need to wait for a parent/guardian to pick them up will be brought to the gymnasium. They will sit on markings 6 feet apart while waiting for their parent/guardian.

2.     Locker Room & Weight Room Facilities

a.     Access to the locker rooms and the weight room are currently prohibited.

b.     Use of these facilities will be reevaluated after initial re-entry.

3.     Senior Recognition

a.     Senior recognition games will take place at the beginning of the season.

Responsibilities of Coaches

-       All coaches are required to complete the NFHS COVID-19 for Administrators and Coaches Course.

-       All coaches will be provided education on the social emotional well-being of students. Coaches should be able to use the information provided to identify factors of mental health issues in students and take the appropriate steps should any of these issues be suspected or identified.

-       All required coaching paperwork will be submitted electronically.

-       COVID precautions must be followed by all coaches and staff, including the wearing of an appropriate face covering at all times.

-       Coaches must keep accurate records of those student-athletes and staff who attend practice and game/contest in case contact tracing is needed. Attendance records must be submitted to the athletic department on a daily basis.

-       Coaches must conduct workouts in “cohorts” or “pods” of same student-athletes always training and rotating together during conditioning and individual skill work practices to ensure more limited exposure if someone develops an infection. These must coincide with the student-athletes “A” or “B” groupings at school.

-       Coaches should build hand washing/sanitizing breaks into the practice plan. These should occur at the same time water breaks occur.

-       Set clear expectations for student-athletes from day one.

-       Communicate guidelines in a clear and consistent manner to student-athletes and parents.

-       No hugging, hand shaking, fist bumps or any physical contact.

-       Coaches should limit game day team/roster sizes for social distancing purposes.

-       Coaches should bring their own water bottle(s) and follow established guidelines for hydration.  

-       Coaches must monitor social distancing among student-athletes on their teams at all times.

-       Coaches must ensure that student-athletes have a predetermined area to place their personal items six feet apart for the duration of practice or game.

-       Coaches must be responsible for their own medical kits and should be the only one removing things from the medical kit for use.

 

Responsibilities of Student-Athletes

-       Any student wishing to participate on a sanctioned athletic team must be a bona-fide student of the district in compliance with NYSPHSAA mandates. Bona-fide students must be enrolled and taking a minimum of four classes at the school they wish to be on a team for, which one of the classes being Physical Education.

-       For all in-person learning students, all student-athletes must leave the high school building each day at the conclusion of the school day. There cannot be any loitering in the high school building prior to practices.

-       Student-athletes must have a face covering on at all times.  The only time it is acceptable to be removed is if the covering is not tolerable during physical activity.  The student must remove themselves from the practice/competition and go to their assigned floor spot to remove their mask. The acceptable face covering for COVID-19 during practices & games are surgical, disposable masks that cover both the mouth and the nose.  It is vital that the masks are worn while participating in all aspects of interscholastic athletics

-       Student-athletes must follow the proper traffic flow of entering and exiting all of the district fields.

-       Student-athletes must bring and use their own water bottles. Student-athletes must make sure they have enough water to stay hydrated throughout an entire practice or contest/game. It is recommended that, daily, each student-athlete bring 2-3 water bottles, or the equivalent of 40 ounces.

-       Student-athletes must tell coaches or athletic trainer immediately when they are not feeling well.

-       Student-athletes should wash their hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water before and after practice each day. When hand washing is not possible, the use of hand sanitizer is acceptable. 

-       No hugging, hand shaking, fist bumps or any physical contact.

-       Each student-athlete must bring their own bag for personal items. All personal items must remain in the bag when not in use. Bags will be placed in a predetermined area six feet apart for the duration of the practice or game.

-       Student-athletes must wear their own appropriate workout clothing and not share clothing.

-       Individual clothing/towels should be washed and cleaned after every workout.

-       Student-athletes are encouraged to keep their mouth guards in their mouth throughout the competition/practice; however, if this is not possible, proper disinfection of the mouth guard should be performed prior to reinsertion. Hands should also be washed or disinfected before doing so.

-       Student-athletes are encouraged to shower at home as quickly as possible after practice and games.

Responsibilities of Parents/Spectators

-       Parents will be required to answer a health screening questionnaire for their child/children on a daily basis, regardless of whether they are in person or virtual that day. District approved screening questions will be utilized. This will be sent out via a Microsoft Form from the athletic department. If this form is not received by 1PM, the student will not be allowed to attend practice or participate in a competition that day.

-       Keep your child home if they are not feeling well.

-       Provide personal items to children and clearly label them.

-       Disinfect student-athlete’s personal equipment after each game or practice.

Athletic Training Room (ATR) Procedures

-       The athletic training room will be set up outdoor as long as the weather permits.

-       All athletes must sign-in to the athletic training room.

-       This sign-in will serve as the order as to who will be seen.

-       No athletes will be seen unless they have completed the sign-in form.

-       All athletes and staff must wear a face covering/mask while in the ATR.

-       Athletes must sanitize hands before entering the ATR.

-       Bags, food and equipment will not be permitted in the ATR.

-       No more than 1 athlete in the ATR at a time. 

-       ATR must be thoroughly cleaned each night.

-       Tables/chairs, equipment, etc. will be wiped down between each treatment/use.

-       Treatments will be limited to: taping, evaluations of new injuries, and first aid.

-       Ice bags will be distributed by Athletic Trainer. Ice room will be locked at all times.

-       Coaches MUST be responsible for their own medical kits. Coaches should be the only person going into the medical kids to get first aid items.

-       Coaches Medical kits will contain additional PPE, gloves, masks, goggles and disinfectant products.

-       Water jugs and/or bottles will not be provided to teams for games or practice.

FAQs for Return to Athletics
(Updated September 24, 2020)

Frequently Asked Questions for Return to Interscholastic Athletics

 

1.  My family has chosen the remote learning plan for our son/daughter, is he or she eligible to participate in interscholastic athletics?

As per the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA), “a pupil should be eligible for interschool competition or inclusive athletic activities in a sport during a semester, provided that he or she is a bona fide student, enrolled in the first 15 days of such semester, is registered in the equivalent of three regular courses, is meeting the physical education requirement, and has been in regular attendance 80 percent of the school time, bona fide absence caused by personal illness is accepted.”  On August 10, 2020, the NYSPHSAA clarified this by saying “in discussions with representatives from the New York State Education Department, the above regulation provides a student with the opportunity to participate in interscholastic athletics if they are receiving credit for three courses and physical education, regardless of the education platform utilized by the school district (i.e. remote only, hybrid, etc.). Students who opt for a remote only education because of the COVID-19 crisis would be eligible for interscholastic athletics if they meet the Bona Fide student regulation above.” 

2.  If my child is participating in a full remote learning program, or his home working remotely during a hybrid schedule, will transportation be provided for my child to return to school for practice?

No, with practices occurring after school hours at hours yet to be determined, it will be the responsibility of the student-athlete, and their family to get to practice.

3.  I understand that my child needs an up-to-date physical on file with the school nurse prior to participating in athletics.  Due to the COVID-19 crisis, I was not able to solidify an appointment for my child to get a physical completed, can he or she still participate?

Varsity and JV student-athletes must first register in Family ID and then be cleared by our District Medical Director. Kindly submit a current physical (dated on or after September 2019) and any other documentation to the school nurse via scan/email or fax to jmccann@briarcliffschools.org or fax 914-432-8218.  It is important to register and submit forms as soon as possible so as not to delay clearance.  Failure to meet the September 27^th deadline, may result in your child(ren) not receiving clearance or being eligible to begin participation during the first day(s) of practice.  

4.  Will my child need to partake in daily screening for interscholastic athletics?

Yes, the screening tool for interscholastic athletics will be shared with each of the students, and their families.  Daily, this must be completed in order to participate in athletics. All student-athletes will be required to complete an additional screening for athletics, on top of their daily screening.

5.  Will there be protocols in place to enhance cleanliness and sanitizing?

Yes, each team will be supplied with hand sanitizer to be used at practices/games, along with sanitizers that can be used on equipment when needed.

6.  Will the services of our Athletic Trainer in Briarcliff still be available?

Yes, however there are specific protocols on utilizing the training room, including when student-athletes can enter and how many athletes are allowed at a time.

7.     Are student-athletes required to wear face coverings while participating in athletics?

Student-athletes must have a face covering on at all times.  The only time it is acceptable to be removed is if the covering is not tolerable during physical activity.  The student must remove themselves from the practice/competition and go to their assigned floor spot to remove their mask. The acceptable face covering for COVID-19 during practices & games are surgical, disposable masks that cover both the mouth and the nose.  It is vital that the masks are worn while participating in all aspects of interscholastic athletics.

8.     Will coaches be required to wear face coverings?

Coaches and athletic staff will wear face coverings at all times.

9.     Will spectators be allowed at games?

Protocols and practices are still being developed by school districts across Section One.

10.   Will Briarcliff athletic events be streamlined?

The Briarcliff Manor UFSD has an agreement in place with Local Live, a streamlining service.  The plan is to have streamlining for events on the Stadium Field & the Lower Turf Field.

11.  How will “team water” be handled to ensure proper hydration?

Student-athletes must bring and use their own water bottles to practice/games daily. (2-3 bottles or the equivalent of 40 oz).  Water bottles/hydration vessels should be clearly labeled so students can easily distinguish their bottle/vessel from others and can be stored on their floor spot.

12.  In the past, various equipment was shared amongst teams, how will that be handled this year?

The sharing of equipment will be minimized as much as possible.  When applicable, student-athletes will be provided with equipment that they will used exclusively, such as practice pinnies.  When equipment must be shared, coaches will be supplied with a sanitizer.  Student-athletes are encouraged to launder their cloth items daily. 

13.  My child left their practice gear in the locker room daily, how will that be utilized?

Locker rooms will not be used, due to the congregation there.  Student-athletes must take their practice gear and equipment daily.

14. In the press, it says that Fall Sports begin on September 21, why are Briarcliff’s teams not beginning until September 29?

NYSPHSAA is allowing Fall Sports across the state to begin on September 21.  However, our region, Section One, choose not to start until September 29, allowing for more districts to transition from remote learning to hybrid learning. 

15. My child is in sixth grade, can I sign him/her up for interscholastic athletics?

No, as New York only offers the opportunity for students in grades 7-12 to partake in interscholastic athletics.

16. With the sport seasons potentially being moved, can my child play two different sports that are typically both offered in the fall season?

Yes, as long as the sports are offered at different times, one can play and tryout for both teams.

17. Which sports begin on September 29 at Briarcliff High School?

The only sports beginning on that day are Varsity Boys and Girls Cross Country, Varsity Field Hockey, Varsity and JV Boys Soccer, Varsity and JV Girls Soccer, and Varsity and JV Girls Tennis.    The Executive Committee voted to approve moving the sport of Varsity Girls Swimming/Diving to Fall Season II, beginning on March 1,2021

18. How do I sign my son or daughter up for one of the teams beginning on September 29?

As the district has done in the past, we have partnered with Family ID in order to sign up for interscholastic athletics.  This portal is located on the district website, under the tab for “Parents”.  

19.  Will there be APP (Athletic Placement Process) testing?

 Unfortunately, at this juncture, the district will forgo the APP Process (Middle School students playing up).  The parameters which have been given to operate under make this a daunting task.  Our goal is to operate with the guidelines the best we can. 

20.  Will there be Modified Interscholastic Athletics?

The Executive Committee voted to support Athletic Council’s recommendation to cancel Modified Interscholastic Athletics for Fall Season I for all member schools.

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Upcoming Events: 

Mr. Drosopoulos - Preseason Parent Meeting

• Tuesday, December 15th 6PM 

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