Skip to content

Return To Play Guidelines

SEATTLE RATS GAMEDAY PROTOCOLS AND SAFETY PLAN RESPONSIBILITIES

  • By registering your team to the league, the managers, players, and any spectators agree to follow all league, county, and local protocols, policies, and responsibilities.
  • Create and distribute field maps that have entrance and exits clearly marked, and home and away sidelines.
  • Post signs at field(s) that clearly mark the entrances and exits (if a multi-field complex).
  • Home clubs are responsible for field setup and sanitization of all equipment at the beginning of the day, and in between games.
  • All teams are responsible for keeping attendance for which players are at every game.
  • 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 as per law.
  • 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 outdoor activities to allow for contact tracing procedures and quarantine as needed.
  • Provide adequate field space for social distancing.
  • RATS will publish all relevant materials, including this League Protocol, on their website.
  • RATS will forward by email to coaches, players, and referees all league protocols, policies, and expectations around game day.
  • RATS will email their referee group about all league protocols, policies, and expectations around game day.
  • RATS will communicate any cancelations or shutdowns as quickly as possible to all team administrators and club leadership.
  • Teams will designate a COVID-19 contact person for any positive cases to communicate with opposing teams and referee assignor should a case arise around a game weekend.
  • RATS will communicate with coaches and players that COVID-19 protocols will follow local public health and CDC guidelines.
  • RATS will communicate through email (and posting current information on our website) to team managers and players if their field location has additional restrictions, especially spectator limits.
  • Players and team coaches/managers may not enter the playfield until the start of their reservation and no equipment can be brought to the field until the start of the reservation. Waiting on the sidelines prior to the start of the reservation is not allowed. All players and referees must vacate the field within 10 minutes of the end of their reservation. All equipment and garbage must be removed from the field within 10 minutes of the end of their reservation.
  • RATS will have team managers at locations ensuring these protocols are being followed. The failure of teams or players to comply will result in the match being suspended.

TEAM MANAGER RESPONSIBILITIES

  • No coach/manager that is sick or has signs or symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 should attend.
  • Always wear a face mask, maintain physical distance requirements from players (>6 feet) based on state and local health requirements.
  • Use hand sanitizer before and after interacting with your team.
  • Make sure that your team has left the field within 5 minutes of the game ending.
  • Make sure the home team provides 3 balls per half that have been sanitized. Game balls from 1st half can be sanitized by the home team at half time.
  • Clustering of players should be avoided. There should be no gathering and socializing before or after the game by players. Coaches should not assemble their teams closely together for instruction; players should be spaced at least 6 feet apart for team meetings or instruction.
  • No handshakes or fist bumps during or after the game.
  • Read out player names and numbers off the gameday/roster for game check-in to the referee.
  • Communicate to team members the importance of transportation to and from the field. The official guidelines note that groups should ‘Limit exposure to those outside of their household unit during travel and encourage team members only travel together if they are from the same household and if not to travel in separate vehicles if possible.
  • The official guidelines note that groups should provide handwashing or hand sanitizing stations at contest locations. As Team Manager you will provide hand sanitizers for your players.
  • Leave game day paperwork for referee pickup, no hand off allowed.
  • Keep a roster of every athlete and team member present at each practice and contest to assist with contact tracing in the event of a possible exposure. Similarly keep a game day roster on file for at least 28 days after the contest or event.
  • Communicate with their teams the following regarding spectators: In phase 2 the guidelines state that for outdoor competitions field complexes with more than one field or area of play a maximum of 75 people are allowed per field or area of play, including spectators. All spectators of different households are to remain 6 feet and physically distant as much as possible. For games on Seattle Parks Playfields group are required to limit the total attendance at a game to a maximum of 75 people per playfield. If one group has two playfields reserved at the same (example Ingraham North and South) the maximum is 150 people. If two groups are scheduled for two different playfields at the same park each group is capped at a maximum of 75 spectator. The total attendance includes players, coaches, officials/referees and the spectators. Spectators are not allowed at any Seattle Public Schools facilities.

PLAYER AND REFEREE RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Mask should be worn at all times, during games, at check-in, while on the bench, and during halftime.
  • No player that is sick or has signs or symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 should attend.
  • Cannot enter the field area until previous teams have left the field. Entry and exit points will be marked.
  • Masks should be worn by players and referees to and from the field.
  • Soccer bags should be placed at least 6 feet apart.