BEST PRACTICE GUIDELINES

 

EDP Soccer understands that risk of exposure to communicable diseases can’t be 100% eliminated and has compiled the following guidelines and protocols to maximize the safety of all participants, spectators, and staff. These protocols are obtained from an extensive network of to represent what we believe are the ‘Best Practices’ set forth by health, safety and government agencies. We primarily used guidance from the CDC and State Health Departments as well as US Soccer, US Youth Soccer, and State Soccer Associations—the national and state governing bodies for soccer. 

The goal of these guidelines is to deliver the safest game day environment possible. These Best Practices and the exact methods for implementing these guidelines and recommendations may vary for every EDP Soccer league event, as well as each facility where competitions are held. 

Implementing EDP League Return to Play initiatives will require a coordinated and cooperative effort between State Soccer Associations, the EDP Leadership Advisory Group, EDP Soccer, clubs, teams, referees, coaches, players, parents/guardians, and many others. While clubs and coaches are tasked to create and maintain a safe environment, parents/guardians are the only ones who can make the decision for their child to participate.

RETURN TO PLAY PRIORITIES

 

Assessing and Reducing Participant Risk

  • Limit the amount of personal contact with shared equipment, gear, and public surfaces
  • Enable ability to engage in social distancing while not actively engaged in play
  • Strategically match the number of the games (number of teams and participants) to the size of facilities
  • Limiting nonessential personnel, volunteers, visitors, and spectators
  • Consider the challenges of long-distance travel outside of the local community

 

Promoting Behaviors that Increase Safety

  • Provide staff with the necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
  • Increase cleaning, sanitizing, and the availability of wash stations
  • Limit physical contact (high fives, handshakes, etc.)
  • Encourage self-checks and staying home when appropriate
  • Request increased hygiene and respiratory etiquette
  • Require participants to wear proper face coverings when necessary
  • Increase signs and messages to inform participants

 

Maintaining Healthy Soccer Environments

  • Increase cleaning and disinfecting
  • Reduce the possibilities of shared objects
  • Modify and enhance layouts to allow for social distancing
  • Strategically implement crowd control best practices with physical barriers and guides
  • Take extra precautions with communal public spaces

 

Maintaining Healthy Soccer Operations

  • Stagger game schedules and spacing to reduce people on site
  • Significantly space out fields and game times to avoid large crowds
  • Provide flexibility to playing rules by offering smaller rosters, number of participants, length of games, etc.
  • Provide protections for staff and players at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19
  • Consider crowds, size of gatherings, numbers of spectators, and travel restrictions
  • Designate COVID-19 points of contact
  • Enhance and streamline communication systems
  • Review and improve before, during and after every event
  • Inform participant leadership (coaches) and staff via training

 

Preparing for If/When Someone Gets Sick

  • Educate your audiences and staff to recognize the signs and symptoms
  • Create an emergency action plan (EAP) in case of reported symptoms of infection
  • In the case of infection, notify state and local health officials as well as close contacts
  • In the case of infection, follow state and local health and safety guidelines