Briarcliff UFSD Athletic Re-entry Plan
2020-2021
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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.
