Fircrest Soccer Club is very excited to begin the fall 2021 soccer season!
As always, our primary concern is the health and safety of our players, coaches, volunteers and families. To do this, in light of the current Covid-19 pandemic, we will be following all state, county and local guidelines as well as implementing protocols that best fit our circumstances at Fircrest Soccer Club. Though we cannot guarantee a COVID-free environment, we believe that the precautions that we are implementing will make for a safer environment to enjoy recreational youth soccer and each other.
Below you will find the protocols and expectations that FSC is implementing to reach our goal of having healthy families and our hope for an uninterrupted season.
Player Responsibilities:
+ NO player that is sick or has signs or symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 should attend practice or games.
+ No handshakes or fist bumps during trainings nor during or after games.
+ Attempt to limit clustering of players and attempt to place soccer bags 6 ft apart from one another where possible.
+ Use hand sanitizer before and after both games and practices.
+Do not share water. All players must bring their own water bottle to practice. Those who arrive without their own water bottle will not be allowed to participate.
+Do not gather in restrooms with other players.
+Players will wear masks while arriving and leaving fields and while on sidelines during games. Players will NOT have to mask while actively training or competing.
Parent/Guardian and Spectator Responsibilities:
+NO parent/guardian/caregiver/spectator that is sick or has signs or symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 should attend practices or games.
+Avoid gatherings of people at fields and parking lots as much as possible and clear fields as soon as possible after games. If able, please limit attendance of parents and siblings at practices to limit exposure to both your family and other families.
+Parents/guardians are responsible for contacting their player’s coach if they or their player test positive for COVID-19 or have a close exposure to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
+Spectators of either practices or games should wear masks (regardless of vaccination status) and socially distance as much as possible.
Coaches Responsibilities:
+NO coach that is sick or has signs or symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 should attend practices or games.
+Maintain physical distance (>6ft) as much as possible from players and other coaches.
+Avoid clustering players when able. Coaches should not assemble their teams closely together for instruction and should space players at least 6 ft apart when able.
+No handshakes or fist bumps during or after the game.
+All coaches are responsible for keeping attendance of which player is at each practice and game.
+All coaches are responsible for contacting a FSC board member if they are made aware of a positive COVID-19 test or exposure on their team.
+Encourage players to hand sanitize before and after each practice and game.
+Sanitize shared equipment (balls, pinnies, cones) after each practice when able.
+Coaches will wear mask at all times while at fields for either training or coaching games (regardless of vaccination status). If the coach is actively participating in training (i.e. running in drills or participating in scrimmages) they do not have to mask.
Signs and Symptoms of COVID-19 (when not caused by any other known condition):
• fever or chills
• shortness of breath
• difficulty breathing
• fatigue
• muscle or body aches
• headache
• new loss of taste or smell
• sore throat
• congestion or runny nose
• nausea or vomiting
• diarrhea
Isolation/Quarantine and Close Contacts
For the purpose of FSC COVID-19 protocols, a Close Contact is defined as someone who was within six feet of a person with COVID-19 for at least 15 cumulative minutes over a 24 hr period during the period of time when the person with COVID-19 was infectious. The Infectious Period of someone with COVID-19 starts two days before the onset of symptoms or is estimated as two days before the positive test collection date if someone with COVID-19 is asymptomatic. This definition applies REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE CASE OR CONTACT WAS WEARING A MASK.
When a player or coach is diagnosed with COVID-19:
⁃ Have the player stay home and isolate for 10 days.
⁃ Player’s families should call to notify their coaches of their positive COVID status, coaches will then notify a FSC board member.
⁃ If the infected player was in contact with their team within 48 hours of diagnosis (either date of positive test or date of symptoms, whichever was earlier), parents/guardians of the team will be notified and determination of all Close Contacts will be made.
⁃ If the infected player played in a game with their team within 48 hours of diagnosis, the coach will relay that to the FSC board member and a board member will notify the opposing team.
⁃ An infected player cannot return to practice or games until they have written medical clearance from their physician.
⁃ Coaches of the affected team will disinfect all equipment.
Quarantine guideline for a player who is determined to have a Close Contact with someone positive with COVID-19:
⁃ If the exposed person is FULLY VACCINATED (or has had confirmed COVID-19 in the past three months, have recovered and do not have symptoms) then these people do NOT need to quarantine but should be tested 3-5 days following a known exposure and wear a mask in all public spaces for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result.
⁃ If the exposed person is NOT FULLY VACCINATED (nor have they recovered from confirmed COVID-19 in the past three months and no longer have symptoms) the exposed person must quarantine for a 7 full days. Quarantine begins the day of the last close contact and can end after 7 days if no symptoms have developed and after receiving a negative test result. The test should occur no sooner than 48 hour before ending quarantine. The person should continue monitoring for symptoms until day 14.