Return To Play Recommendations

UPDATED MYSA COVID-19 Return to Play Guidelines and Recommendations

under the Missouri Show Me Strong Recovery Plan effective June 16, 2020.

Missouri Youth Soccer Association strongly believes in the benefits of young people participating in soccer, while also recognizing the need to keep players, coaches, referees, and their families safe. This resource is designed to address the state-wide restrictions outlined in the “Show Me Strong Recovery Plan Phase 2” and is effective on June 16, 2020. It will be updated as guidance is revised. It does not address further county restrictions that may be applicable and those should be addressed by each member based on their particular location.

Guiding Principles:

On June 16, 2020, the resumption of soccer activities shall be allowed as part of the current guidance by the Missouri Governor’s Office and the Missouri Dept. of Health & Senior Services. This guidance may change should it be necessary, and safeguards like those listed below are still needed and expected to be followed.

In addition to the usual requirements for sanctioning, all events must abide by all requirements of local, state, and federal guidelines applicable to the physical location of the facility where the event will take place. Regardless of the relaxation of safeguards at the national or state level ALL County guidance must be observed with no exception.

●      All restrictions applicable to the county where the place of play is located must be followed.

●      All participants (players/coaches/parents) should practice safe and practical sanitation and distancing practices wherever reasonable.

●      Reduce spreading of the virus by limiting the touching of surfaces and close contact.

Training Environment in a Pandemic

It may be possible to hold in-person training & game play that meets safety and health guidelines. However, this should not be undertaken lightly as all aspects of the soccer environment must be assessed and modified to identify and reduce the risk of spreading the virus. Below we have listed some of these issues, but each venue must be reviewed to identify areas of concern for each facility. All guidance below is expected to be implemented immediately.

Arrival and Departure- Training Sessions

●      Training start and end times should be staggered. This becomes an even greater concern if multiple teams will be in the same area. A buffer of at least 15 minutes should be allotted between sessions.

●      Parent/guardian should check the temperature of players at home before attending practice. Players should not attend practice with temperature of 100.4 degrees or greater, persistent cough, or other indications of not being well and healthy.

●      Carpooling should be avoided.

●      Parents are encouraged to stay in car, social distancing should always be observed by non-participants but especially at the fields.

●      Players should leave the car ready to play (wearing shoes/cleats, shin guards, etc.) to avoid having unnecessary personal belongings on the field

●      The Coach should make the following inquiries at the beginning of the practice of all players (as a group is acceptable):           

○      Is anyone running a temperature? (NO - proper answer)

○      Does anyone have a persistent cough? (NO - proper answer)

○      Does everyone feel well & healthy? (YES - proper answer)

            Player participation should be based on the answers to these questions.

●      Each player should have a unique designated area to put their water bottle and any additional equipment (i.e. backpack) at a reasonable distance from one another.

●      Players should maintain social distancing during coaching conversation and should be encouraged to leave the training area promptly after sessions.

Training Considerations

●      Duration of training should be modified based on player health & conditioning.

●      Lines should be avoided when possible

●      Participants should refrain from gathering in a huddle or small group, as is common when giving instruction. Players should spread out and listen to instruction.

●      All physical contact between players must be closely monitored. Use of high fives and other previously encouraged behaviors are to be avoided at this time.

●      Training areas should be left clean and neat when a team leaves the area.

Game Considerations

●      Only one player per team should be sent as a Captain for the coin toss prior to the game. No handshakes are to occur at any time before, during, or after game play.

●      Game Officials should consider the use of disposable gloves when checking player and coach registration cards.

●      The use of face masks by game officials is recommended when they are not on the field.

●      The use of face masks by coaches is recommended when they are not on the sidelines.

●      Team bench areas shall always be kept clean with any additional gear stowed during gameplay. Benches must be left clean & neat after the game with no exceptions.

●      All players, coaches & game officials must each have their own, labeled, hydration bottle. Sharing of bottles is NOT permitted at any time.

●      Players on the bench during game play should be distanced from one another as much as possible. Non players or coaches should not be in the bench area at any time.

●      Parents/guardians should check the temperature of players at home before attending a game. Players should not attend games with temperature of 100.4 degrees or greater, persistent cough, or other indications of not being well and healthy.

●      The Coach should make the following inquiries before the game of all players (as a group is acceptable):          

○      Is anyone running a temperature? (NO - proper answer)

○      Does anyone have a persistent cough? (NO - proper answer)

○      Does everyone feel well & healthy? (YES - proper answer)

            Player participation should be based on the answers to these questions.

●      Players should maintain social distancing during coaching conversation and should be encouraged to leave the field area promptly after games. Post-game talks shall be done away from the bench areas and be brief.

●      Spectators shall always practice social distancing. Use of a mask is strongly suggested.

General Considerations

●      Do not allow participants to treat spreading the virus as a joke- parents need to be a part of enforcing this. Relaxation of guidelines is not an indication that there is no need for concern.

●      An RSVP and attendance system should be used both for planning and to record possible interactions in the event of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis.

●      Anyone displaying symptoms associated with COVID-19 should not attend and should notify their coach.

●      Clear communication to and between all participants and their families about expectations and guidelines is essential to successfully implement your return to play plan.

●      Any instance of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis of a participant or anyone in attendance of a session, must be immediately reported to the county health authority and Missouri Youth Soccer.

●      Facilities and Associations may add their own additional requirements based on the safety of all persons involved. These requirements should be prominently displayed and communicated to all participants.

Injuries

The potential reaction to a player getting injured is more complicated during the COVID-19 pandemic. The immediate safety of the player must remain the top priority, but care should be taken when addressing small injuries (e.g. handing out band-aids). Proper sanitation & safety practices should always be practiced.

Sanitary Conditions

●      Coaches should have sanitizing wipes available

●      It is suggested that coaches wear face masks when not directly involved with coaching. Keep in mind that many coaches are in contact with multiple groups.

●      All balls used should be sanitized before each use.

●      Only coaches should handle equipment (cones, goals, etc.) and these should be sanitized after use.

●      It is recommended that players not share pinnies or any other equipment that is not sanitized between uses.

●      Facilities should make sure that all areas of practice and gameplay are cleaned thoroughly and regularly. Trash and waste should be removed regularly and use of mask and gloves by all employees is strongly recommended.

Missouri Youth Soccer is dedicated to protecting the health and safety of all people. The purpose of this document is to provide athletes, parents, coaches, and soccer organizations with information they can use to assist them with developing their return to training programs in the context of COVID-19. As a guideline meant to be used  by athletes and organizations with vastly different resources, this document cannot be prescriptive; rather, it should mark the minimum standard for deliberation among athletes, coaches and staff, who will use this information to create their own unique return to training plan that is specific to their situation. In addition, there will be other logistical challenges of returning to training following COVID19.

The information in this document is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All content, including 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, US Youth Soccer and Missouri Youth Soccer make no representation and assume 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 competition. Given the changing pandemic environment, these guidelines may change at any time. These guidelines address early phases on return to play.  Additional guidelines will follow as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve.

This document is an UPDATE as of June 11, 2020 that is effective June 16, 2020 until further notice.