BAYS COVID-19 FAQ for Fall 2020 (updated Oct 15)

 

 

BAYS COVID-19 FAQ for Fall 2020

 

  1. General Philosophy.

  2. Links to other FAQs

  3. BAYS Policy for postponing or canceling games against towns that are Red on the COVID-19 list.

  4. BAYS policy for postponing, canceling or not playing games against towns that are at a status OTHER THAN RED on the Mass COVID-19 list.

  5. What happens when your town Board of Health bans your team from playing in a location?

  6. What to do if your team feels unsafe during the match?

  7. Where are the temporary changes to the Laws of the Game?

  8. What are the BAYS changes to procedures?

  9. How to deal with individual quarantined teams?

  10. What do I do if a player or coach reports they are COVID-19 positive?

  11. What do I do if there is a suspicion of a COVID-19 positive player or coach?

  12. Mask Exemptions policy?

  13. Pre-Kickoff Communications..

  14. Make up time window. Is it different during COVID-19?

  15. What do we do if the weather is bad - rainy/snowing etc. 

  16. What do I do if my concern is not addressed?

 

  1. General Philosophy.

    

This is a time when safety and respect for the virus become even more important than under normal times. We feel soccer is a valuable recreational and teaching tool for young athletes but not at the expense of their health and safety. In normal seasons, BAYS has put in place incentives to maximize the amount of games played. In these special circumstances, many of those are relaxed and in some cases eliminated. We want to maximize the number of games that can be played for the enjoyment of our players, while keeping safety concerns in mind. We will continue to comply with Massachusetts Board of Health and MYSA COVID-19 guidelines and monitor these guidelines as they are revised. 

 

  1. Links to other FAQs

    

There are several other organizations maintaining website locations that affect soccer

 

    MYSA Return to play https://www.mayouthsoccer.org/return-to-soccer-activities/

    

    MYSA COVID-19 FAQ https://www.mayouthsoccer.org/assets/61/6/faq_(1).pdf

    

MSRC Referee guidance:  https://www.google.com/url?q=https://massref.net/msrcdocs/MSRC%2520Return%2520to%2520Play%2520Guidelines.pdf&sa=D&ust=1601389782333000&usg=AFQjCNFXiNjSpFEFqqj9k9EWm5kaHOq7Hw

    

BAYS COVID Resources and Modifications

https://bays.org/content/covid-resources-and-modifications

 

  1. BAYS policy for postponing or canceling games against towns that are RED on the Mass COVID-19 list.

    

A club or team may unilaterally choose to postpone a match against a town that is red. We understand that the list comes out weekly late on a Wednesday. We request as soon as you know you will not be playing that you inform the other team (not later than Thursday evening) so appropriate measures like canceling the referee crew can be done in a timely manner. Please keep your division director in the loop. The Division Director will assign a no game status if the game cannot be made up before the end of the season.  Please try to reschedule the game once the red designation from your opponent has been removed.

 

  1. BAYS policy for postponing, canceling or not playing games against towns that are at a status OTHER THAN RED on the Mass COVID-19 list.

    

A club or team may choose not to play a match against a town that is other than red.  In this case, the Division Director may assign a forfeit (there is no fine associated with a forfeit this Fall 2020 season only) against the team that is responsible for the game not being played.  The Division Director will replace the forfeit with the game score if the game is made up prior to the end of the season.  Please keep your division director in the loop as to the status of the match.  Please make every effort to reschedule the match once the safety concerns have been removed.

.

  1. What happens when your town Board of Health bans your team from playing in a location?

    

Take heed of the Board of Health's guidance and ensure you notify the opponent as soon as possible. Once the ban is removed, please try and reschedule the match if practical.  Keep your division director in the loop.

 

  1. What to do if your team feels unsafe during a match?

    

If no acceptable remedies to your concerns are made, your only option is to notify the center referee that you will be abandoning the match and pull the team from the field and observing social distancing proceed to leave the field and venue. If it is a non-COVID-19 concern, the usual rules about pulling a team are to be used. If you have a concern about COVID-19 protocols of the opposing team, your team COVID safety coordinator should communicate with the opponent's COVID safety coordinator to see if the situation can be remedied. 

 

  1. Where are the temporary changes to the Laws of the Game?

    

BAYS adopted the MYSA mandated changes

    https://www.mayouthsoccer.org/assets/61/6/temporary_rule_modifications_091120.pdf

 

  1. What are the BAYS changes to procedures?

Coaches and Players:

    

https://bays.org/content/fall-2020-welcome-and-stuff-coaches-should-know

 

Referees 

 

https://bays.org/content/temporary-game-modifications

 

  1. How to deal with individual quarantined teams?

 

If your team is quarantined - inform your opponents that you would have played during the quarantine period of your circumstances and decide on plans to play once the quarantine is lifted. Note a team under quarantine may not have any team activities - practices and in person team meetings - virtual is OK. 

 

  1. What do I do if a player or coach reports they are COVID19 positive?

    

Follow the guidance at: https://www.mayouthsoccer.org/assets/61/6/covid_reporting_procedures1.pdf 

Notify your club's President and COVID Safety Officer and follow the steps in the MYSA web site on reporting procedures

 

  1. What do I do if there is a suspicion of a COVID19 positive player or coach?

    

Usually you will hear about this when someone has a suspicion and has tested but the results are not back yet. If they haven't been tested, urge them to get tested. Until the test results are back, the suspected person should be held out of soccer activities, but there is not an effect on the team or contacts until a positive result is returned. Then the reporting procedures are followed. If the symptoms are attributed to a different diagnosis (e.g. strep infection) follow the usual protocols until the individual is safe to return to activities. If the individual had a fever, the suggestion is to resume activities 1 day after fever is gone and no more antipyretic (fever reducing) drugs have been taken (e.g. tylenol)

 

  1. Mask Exemptions policy?

    

Governor Baker's order allows for exemptions for medical reasons where wearing of face covering would be inadvisable. Should your club have a player or sideline personnel that has a medical exemption, we request that the team roster - in the waiver column for the player or in the list of coaches, after the coach name, for a coach - have the text “Mask Exempt.” This must be disclosed to the other team prior to the match at the pre-match call to confirm all the details.

 

See the Google Document https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WNvvZxsGPWSpPqV5eOSL578weMXNMKbjycw09q-v10E/edit#

 

 maintained by BAYS where individual clubs disclose their policy on playing teams with “Mask Exempt” players or coaches. 

 

  1. Pre-Kickoff Communications.

    

BAYS requests that the head coaches or team managers of the upcoming weekend's opponents contact each other by phone or email no later than Wednesday before the match to apprise each other of any additional restrictions on the match (usually mandated by the local board of health) confirm that to the best of their knowledge they are COVID-19 free, any mask exempt individuals and any other details. Should the match need to be postponed, ensure that the Division Director and Home Referee Assignor are made aware that the match won’t be played. 

 

Confirm the kick off time and the earliest a team can arrive at the venue (making allowance for previous users to have left before your team arrives) . Also identify your team COVID coordinator. This is also the time to request your copy of the opposing team roster as one will not be provided at the field. 

 

Upon arrival at the field with the social distancing observed, the head coaches and team covid safety officers should identify themselves to the opposing team and referee.

 

    NOTE: Should one or both teams not show up and the referee(s) do, BAYS normal procedures apply with the referee cost being passed on to the club responsible. 

 

  1. Make up time window. Is it different during COVID-19?

    

        Yes, we will allow games to be made up any time during the Fall Season (at least through 11/22/2020). We will announce a final date for games to be played at a later date.

 

  1. What do we do if the weather is bad - rainy/snowing etc.

    BAYS follows the guidance given in the MYSA section on protective equipment - "If conditions are so severe as to warrant masks too dangerous to wear, the competition must be delayed, postponed or cancelled. If the weather is bad for games follow the guidance above.  The coach. like an other safety hazard like lightning, may point out to the referee that they believe continuing the match is a safety hazard to the players due to masks being worn in this weather.  For a practice session or other team activity, tailor the exertion level to what is safe for the players or cancel the session. 

  2. What do I do if my concern is not addressed?

    

Pose the question to the group you believe will be able to answer the question. Your club will have a President and a COVID Safety officer that should be able to answer local questions or refer you to the proper authority. At BAYS, the President is Tony Loftis, COVID Safety Officer is David Dalrymple, Referee Directors Gesse Faber and Mark Plecinoga. At MYSA, COVID-19 questions should be directed to Tammie Endow. Non-COVID-19 questions may go to Executive Director Mike Borislow.

    

 

BAYS Executive Board

 

Revisions

BY

Date

Summary

DSD

24-Sep-2020

Initial

DSD

30-Sep-2020

Executive Committee Revisions - First Public Comment Period

DSD

30-Sep-2020

Added note in Q13 about pre-game communication canceling responsibilities and note about referee(s) showing up and teams not 

DSD

14-Oct-2020

Final comment resolution before posting - added additional links and changed recommendation from Wednesday phone call before match to phone or email
DSD 15-Oct-2020 Added question 15 on rain and mask guidance