Glenview Park District Youth Flag Football Program – COVID-19 Safety Guidelines

 

*Note: All guidelines will be based on CDC guidelines*

 

*We expect EVERYONE (players, coaches, parents, family members and spectators) to respect and strictly adhere to these guidelines*

 

All Glenview Park District Youth Flag Football Program Players, Coaches & Parents:

• Due to COVID-19 and to ensure proper methods are in place in case contract tracing is required, the Park District is requiring all group volunteer parents/coaches to share attendance log links with their group families for them to submit who was in attendance on each date of the Youth Flag Football program. Anyone who was physically at the park must complete these forms. This includes and is not limited to: players, coaches, parents and any other spectators present. These Google Forms will be emailed by the Athletic Supervisor the following day of each practice/scrimmage this season.
• Any players, coaches, or parents that have had known exposure to anyone with a positive COVID-19 test will refrain from attending any activity for at least 14 days. Coaches and Glenview Park District staff must be notified immediately.
• Players, coaches, or parents will not attend an event, even to watch, if determined to be sick or not feeling well.
• Parents, or their designated guardians, will check their players for illness prior to EVERY Glenview Park District Youth Flag Football practice or scrimmage. For this to effectively work, we will need the commitment of all families to manage and communicate their own state of health (considering the health of their family members as well). If a child is sick or showing symptoms of sickness, they should not participate in any flag football practice or scrimmage.
• Players are recommended, but not required, to wear face coverings while participating on the field of play during practices and scrimmages.
• All practices and scrimmages, including in-scrimmage breaks, will follow Illinois Return-to-Play spacing and size guidelines.
• Group football and flags will be provided. Groups will be required to sanitize and wipe down their equipment before and after each use for the entirety of the season.
• There will be a designated Glenview Park District Field Supervisor checking all fields periodically to ensure player, parent and spectator spacing and overall compliance are being met.
• Each group will use their own football for their offensive drives. Footballs will be sanitized after each offensive drive by group parents/coaches. Multiple footballs may be sanitized and rotated accordingly. Players may also bring their own football to be used in practice/scrimmage play.
• Glenview Park District will provide hand sanitizer and equipment sanitizer bottles for all groups. It is strongly encouraged that all groups have their own supply of hand sanitizer as well to use throughout the duration of practices/scrimmages.
• Other safety guidelines may be implemented at any time, including on site and day of by Glenview Park District personnel. Some current guidelines may change based on new information, state and CDC guidelines.

 

Players

• As players arrive for practices/scrimmages, they should be spaced at least 6’ apart whenever possible. Players should enter the park with their masks on.
• Players will need to be spaced at least 6’ apart at all times while in bench/sideline areas.
• Players will be required to wear facial coverings while on the sidelines during games.
• All players should have their own drinks. There should be no use of water fountains or sharing of drinks. All players may feel free to take a break for drinks at any time during practices or scrimmages.
• Behaviors such as spitting, fighting, horseplay, etc. are strictly prohibited. Players that repeatedly ignore guidelines will be asked to leave practice/scrimmages. We recognize this is a learning process for everyone. This is not intended to be punitive. Rather, it is safety-directed and we will have a zero tolerance policy.

 

Coaches

• Coaches will wear facial coverings at all times during practices and scrimmages both on the field and on the sidelines.
• Coaches will not share game balls or other equipment with other groups.
• There will be no spitting or chewing gum, seeds or tobacco by players of coaches.
• When addressing the group as an appropriately distanced group (at least 6’ apart), coaches will wear a facial covering. There will be minimal group discussions and meetings. None should last more than 5 minutes in duration as to limit prolonged exposure.
• Coaches shall ensure players have sanitized hands, flags, scrimmage balls, and other equipment in designated sideline areas. Glenview Park District will provide sanitizer, however, coaches and families are encouraged to bring their own hand sanitizer and/or disinfectant wipes to games for their group. There will be no post-game handshakes, fist bumps, hugs, or any other type of close contact engagement amongst opposing groups.
• IMPORTANT - Please review all these guidelines and share them with your players & families well in advance of the first meeting of the season. This will ensure everyone is familiar with the rules and safety protocols.
• Coaches are encouraged to call plays from the sideline if possible to avoid group huddles.

 

Parent/Guardian & Spectators:

• Parents/spectators will remain 60’ from players and bench/sideline areas. Preferred seating will be along the sidelines and behind the end-zones, spaced appropriately. Spacing will comply with state guidelines – minimum of 30’ between groups of 50. Facial coverings should be worn as guidelines recommend. Parents should bring their own lawn chairs for seating.
• Outside of an onsite emergency, non-coaching parents should contact coaches via cell, email or text (depending on what the volunteer coach prefers). If conversing with a coach is necessary, parents must wear a facial covering and apply physical-distancing protocol when communicating.
• It is strongly advised that player car-pooling is used only out of necessity.
• All parents are encouraged to have their own sanitizer or disinfectant wipes for their player(s).
• There are to be NO post-game snacks. Players and parents are requested to leave the park as the games end and their space is cleared for the next group of games. There will be no post-game handshakes, first bumps, hugs or any other sort of close contact engagement amongst opposing groups.