- Dale Duff Reporting ([email protected])
The Maine Principals’ Association (MPA) has released guidelines for a ‘return to physical activity’ for high school athletics during the summer weeks ahead.
No one knows at this stage whether schoolboy and schoolgirls sports will be held in the fall because of the COVID -19 issues but the MPA feels ‘physical activity is essential for high school aged athletes’.
With that in mind, the MPA issued guidelines for a phased-in approach for kids and coaches that begins in early July.
PHASES 1 and 2– Conditioning, Strength Training, Agility, and Individual Skill Activity
Phases 1 and 2 should consist of a four-week period, during which, student athletes will have the opportunity to participate in activities to improve conditioning, strength, agility, and individual skill activity. The four-week period is to be broken down into two parts, with specific guidelines and recommendations implemented for each part. School and district administrators will need to determine if this will be an option on their school campuses. If so, school administrators will need to ensure that adequate staff are present during this time so that all safety precautions are met.
PHASE 1: Weeks 1-2 of Conditioning, Strength Training, and Agility (July 6 – July 19)
Use of outdoor facilities only
- Coaches must track attendance of each student and adult daily.
- Students and/or adults who have symptoms of COVID-19 illness or feel sick must stay home
and only return with medical clearance.
- Students and/or adults who have symptoms after arriving at a training session must leave
the site and only return with medical clearance.
- Student groups or “pods” of 10 or less need to be assigned and names recorded.
- Students stay in their “pod” for the duration of Phase 1.
- All students and adults should maintain proper social distancing (6 feet).
- Face masks/coverings are recommended when appropriate. In accordance with CDC guidance, “face coverings are not intended to protect the wearer, but rather to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 from the person wearing the mask (who may not have any symptoms of disease).” (CDC Consideration for Youth Sports, 2020) “Face coverings may be challenging for players (especially younger players) to wear while playing sports.” (CDC Consideration for Youth Sports, 2020) “Face coverings should be worn by coaches, youth sports staff, officials, parents, and spectators as much as possible.” (CDC Consideration for Youth Sports, 2020)
Cloth or disposable face coverings should be worn throughout each phase when not engaging in vigorous activity, such as when sitting on the bench, during chalk talks, interacting with an athletic trainer, etc.
o Medical grade face coverings are not necessary. Cloth or disposable face
coverings are acceptable.
o Face coverings should not be worn when engaging in high intensity aerobic or
anaerobic workouts, distance running, or swimming.
o Plastic shields covering the entire face (or attached to a helmet) shall not be allowed
during contests. Their use during practices increases the risk of unintended injury to
the person wearing the shield or teammates.
(2020 NFHS Guidance for Opening up High School Athletics and Activities, 2020)
o Coaches, officials, and other contest personnel should always wear cloth face
coverings. (Artificial noisemakers such as an air horn or a timer system with an alarm
can be used to signal in place of a traditional whistle.) (2020 NFHS Guidance for
Opening up High School Athletics and Activities, 2020)
Activities are to be limited to conditioning, strength training, and agility. No sport specific
equipment or skill activity is allowed.
Limit of one hour of activities per student per day.
Students should bring their own water bottle. No sharing of water bottles allowed.
Disinfectants and hand sanitizers should be available on site.
Students and adults should practice frequent hand washing when in contact with others or
with equipment (jump ropes, weights, etc.)
Any equipment used should be sanitized after each individual use. For guidance on use
and cleaning of equipment, please reference the CDC guidelines:
https://azgovernor.gov/sites/default/files/guidance_for_gyms_fitness_providers.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/cleaning-disinfecting-decision-tool.html
PHASE 2: Weeks 3-4 of Conditioning, Strength Training, and Agility (July 20 – August 2)
Use of indoor and outdoor facilities
- Coaches should continue to track attendance of each student and adult daily.
- Students and/or adults who have symptoms of COVID-19 illness or feel sick must stay home and only return with medical clearance.
- Students and/or adults who have symptoms after arriving at a training session must leave the site and only return with medical clearance.
- Use of outdoor and/or indoor (such as weight rooms, gyms, and wrestling rooms) facilities allowed.
- Student groups or “pods” of 10 or less (indoors), but up to 50 students allowed in designated areas (outdoors).
- Students stay in their “pod” for the duration of Phase 2.
- All participants and adults should maintain proper social distancing.
- Face masks/coverings are recommended when appropriate. In accordance with CDC guidance, “face coverings are not intended to protect the wearer, but rather to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 from the person wearing the mask (who may not have any symptoms of disease).” (CDC Consideration for Youth Sports, 2020) “Face coverings may be challenging for players (especially younger players) to wear while playing sports.” (CDC Consideration for Youth Sports, 2020) “Face coverings should be worn by coaches, youth sports staff, officials, parents, and spectators as much as possible.” (CDC Consideration for Youth Sports, 2020)
○ Cloth or disposable face coverings should be worn throughout each phase when not engaging in vigorous activity, such as when sitting on the bench, during chalk talks, interacting with an athletic trainer, etc.
○ Medical grade face coverings are not necessary. Cloth or disposable face
coverings are acceptable.
○ Face coverings should not be worn when engaging in high intensity aerobic or
anaerobic workouts, distance running, or swimming.
○ Plastic shields covering the entire face (or attached to a helmet) shall not be
allowed during contests. Their use during practices increases the risk of
unintended injury to the person wearing the shield or teammates. (2020 NFHS
Guidance for Opening up High School Athletics and Activities, 2020)
○ Coaches, officials, and other contest personnel should always wear cloth face
coverings. (Artificial noisemakers such as an air horn or a timer system with an
alarm can be used to signal in place of a traditional whistle.) (2020 NFHS
Guidance for Opening up High School Athletics and Activities, 2020)
- Activities are to be limited to conditioning, strength training, agility, and individual skill
development. Individual sport specific activities and equipment will be allowed, such as
individual dribbling and shooting. No form of competition (including 1v1 drills) is allowed.
- Limit of two hours of activities per student per day.
- Students should bring their own water bottles. No sharing of water bottles or other personal items allowed
- Disinfectants and hand sanitizers should be available on site.
- Students and adults should practice frequent hand washing when in contact with others or with equipment (jump ropes, weights, etc.
- Any equipment used should be sanitized after each individual use. For guidance on use and cleaning of gyms and weight rooms, please reference the CDC guidelines:
https://azgovernor.gov/sites/default/files/guidance_for_gyms_fitness_providers.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/cleaning-disinfecting-decisiontool.html
PHASE 3: Extended conditioning and acclimatization period – Guidelines TBD (August 3 – Aug 16)
PHASE 4: TBD
- For the complete MPA Guidance plan, click here MPA SUMMER 2020 GUIDANCE
