Oregon School Activities Association 25200 SW Parkway Avenue, Suite 1 Wilsonville, OR 97070 503.682.6722 fax: 503.682.0960 http://www.osaa.org May 20, 2020 To: Superintendents, Principals, Athletic Directors and Head Coaches From: Peter Weber, Executive Director Subject: OSAA Reopening Sports/Activities Summer Guidance The OSAA Executive Board met in a closed work session this morning to discuss the latest updates on the Coronavirus pandemic as it relates to OSAA member schools. The discussion centered on the end of the Association Year and providing guidance to member schools regarding summer activities. The OSAA Executive Board confirmed that the Association’s current moratorium-like suspension of facilities and coach/student physical interaction will remain in place through the end of the Association Year on May 25. Beginning May 26, member schools control what they will allow to take place at their school facilities with athletic/activities programs, in accordance with directives from Governor Brown, the Oregon Heath Authority (OHA) and the Oregon Department of Education (ODE). ODE has clarified that the directive stating that school facilities are closed through June 30 should be interpreted to mean that school facilities are closed through the end of the school/contract year. OSAA Staff has been working closely with the OSAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC) on recommendations for member schools regarding summer activities that are in alignment with OHA directives. The attached guidance is not intended to be prescriptive but rather to elicit thoughtful discussion at the local level among school administrators, coaches, parents, students and communities about navigating a gradual reopening of high school activities. Guidance for Phases Two and Three will be distributed in the coming weeks. The OSAA Executive Board understands that implementation decisions schools make this summer will potentially impact the upcoming school year and encourages member schools to follow this guidance. Schools and coaches are reminded that, per OSAA policy, participation in summer sports/activities may not be required. The OSAA Executive Board will continue to meet on a regular basis throughout the summer in closed work sessions. Updates like this will be sent to all member schools following each work session. The Board remains committed to administering sports/activities this Fall, provided it can be done safely in accordance with guidance from our state educational and medical partners. Note that earlier this month the OSAA Executive Board eliminated this year’s Moratorium Week which had been set for July 26-August 1. For the latest OSAA information regarding the Coronavirus pandemic, please visit: http://www.osaa.org/coronavirus. Please contact our staff via email with any questions as we are working remotely (http://www.osaa.org/contact). Thank you for all your efforts on behalf of the students and families in our state. Stay safe and be well. Attachment: OSAA Reopening Sports/Activities Summer Guidance C:\Users\PeterWeber\Desktop\COVID-19\COVID-19 May 20 Memo.docx OSAA Reopening Sports/Activities Summer Guidance Objective This document is intended to provide guidance for schools and youth sports to consider with their stakeholders in designing return-to-activity protocols in accordance with state and county restrictions. It allows for a coordinated reopening following the initial stay at home orders and may also be used if conditions dictate the need for increased restrictions in the future. The OSAA believes it is essential to the physical and mental well-being of students to return to physical activity and athletic competition. Foundational Statements The OSAA recognizes that all Oregon students may be unable to return to – and sustain – athletic activity at the same time across the state. There will also likely be variation in what sports and activities are allowed over the next 9 to 12 months. While recognizing that county-by-county reopening may lead to inequities, the OSAA advocates for returning students to school-based athletics and activities and allowing youth sports organizations to operate in any and all situations where it can be done safely. Prior to allowing use of facilities, schools and youth sports organizations should review facility use agreements, especially in the areas of sanitation requirements and liability. Limited testing availability, lack of resources for contact tracing, and expanding knowledge of COVID-19 transmission could all result in significant changes to this guidance. The OSAA will disseminate more information as it becomes available. Administrators and coaches must emphasize the need for all coaches and participants who have signs or symptoms of illness to stay home when ill to decrease risk of viral transmission. “Vulnerable individuals” are defined by OHA as people age 60 years and older and others with serious underlying health conditions, including high blood pressure, chronic lung disease, diabetes, obesity, asthma, and those whose immune systems are compromised such as by chemotherapy for cancer and other conditions requiring such therapy. Points of Emphasis Current pre-season conditioning and acclimatization models assume that athletes have deconditioned during the stay at home orders. The current pandemic may result in students being deconditioned for several months. The intensity and duration of training should be moderated upon return. The NFHS is currently involved with several organizations in developing consensus guidelines for the resumption of workouts and practices. These guidelines will be reviewed by the OSAA after they are finalized. Due to the near certainty of recurrent outbreaks in the coming months, schools and youth sports organizations must be prepared for periodic school closures and the possibility of some teams having to isolate for two or more weeks while in-season. Development of policies is recommended regarding practice and/or competition during temporary school closures, the cancellation of contests during the regular season, and parameters for the cancellation or premature ending to post-season events/competitions. Phases are in accordance with guidelines published by the State of Oregon and are subject to change. Please note that counties must meet “gating” criteria to establish Phase One and that further criteria must be met to advance from one phase to the next (21-day period currently). These criteria will be determined by the Governor’s Task Force and should be strictly followed. Phase One Phase Two Phase Three Adequate cleaning schedules should be created and implemented for all athletic facilities. Prior to an individual or groups of individuals entering a facility, hard surfaces within that facility should be wiped down and sanitized (chairs, furniture in meeting rooms, weight room equipment, bathrooms, athletic training room tables, etc.). Facilities Cleaning Individuals should wash their hands for a minimum of 20 seconds with warm water and soap or hand sanitizer before touching any surfaces or participating in workouts. Hand sanitizer should be plentiful and available to individuals as they transfer from place to place. Appropriate clothing/shoes should be worn at all times to minimize sweat from transmitting onto equipment/surfaces. Any equipment such as weight benches, athletic pads, etc. having holes with exposed foam should be covered. Students must be encouraged to shower and wash their workout clothing immediately upon returning to home. Entrance/Exit Strategies Consider strategies to prevent groups from gathering at entrances/exits to facilities to limit crossover and contact, including staggering starting/ending times. C:\Users\PeterWeber\Desktop\OSAA Reopening Sports Activities Summer Guidance.docx 5/20/2020 1:30 PM No gathering of more than 25 people at a time (inside or outside). Limitations on Gatherings Workouts should be conducted in “pods” of students with the same 5-10 students working out together weekly to limit overall exposures. Smaller pods can be utilized for weight training. There must be a minimum distance of 6 feet between each individual at all times. If this is not possible indoors, then the maximum number of individuals in the room must be decreased to obtain a minimum distance of 6 feet between each individual. All coaches and students should be screened daily for signs / symptoms of COVID-19 prior to participating, including a temperature check. Anyone with a temperature of greater than 100.3 degrees should not participate and be sent home. Pre-Workout Screening Responses to screening questions for each person should be recorded and stored (see sample Monitoring Form attached). Any person with positive symptoms reported should not be allowed to participate, should self-isolate, and contact their primary care provider or other health-care professional. Vulnerable individuals should not supervise or participate in any workouts during Phase 1. State, local or school district guidelines for cloth face coverings should be strictly followed. Cloth face coverings should be considered acceptable. There is no need to require or recommend “medical grade” masks for physical activity. Any student who prefers to wear a cloth face covering should be allowed to do so. Face Coverings In the absence of guidelines to the contrary, we recommend that cloth face coverings be worn by students. Exceptions are swimming, distance running or other high intensity aerobic activity. Plastic shields covering the entire face will not be allowed during participation due to the risk of unintended injury to the person wearing the shield or others. Coaches, officials and other contest personnel may wear cloth face coverings at all times and are strongly encouraged to wear cloth face coverings whenever physical distancing is not possible. (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.) Wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer, especially after touching frequently used items or surfaces. Hygiene Practices Hydration/Food Travel Locker Rooms and Athletic Training Areas Sneeze or cough into a tissue, or the inside of your elbow. Avoid touching your face. Disinfect frequently used items and surfaces as much as possible. Strongly consider using face coverings while in public, and particularly when using mass transit All students must bring their own water bottle. Water bottles must not be shared. Food should not be shared. Hydration stations (water cows, water trough, water fountains, etc.) should not be utilized. Keep it local and avoid cross county travel when possible, especially if counties are in different phases. Locker rooms should not be utilized during Phase 1. Students should report in appropriate attire and immediately return home to shower after participation. No students allowed in training area unless AT is present. C:\Users\PeterWeber\Desktop\OSAA Reopening Sports Activities Summer Guidance.docx 5/20/2020 1:30 PM Weight equipment should be wiped down thoroughly before and after an individual’s use of equipment. Resistance training should be emphasized as body weight, weight machines, and free weights that do not require a spotter. Weight Rooms Free weight exercises that require a spotter cannot be conducted while honoring physical distancing norms. Safety measures in all forms must be strictly enforced in the weight room. Weight rooms should follow physical distancing guidelines and adhere to OHA Guidance for Fitness-Related Organizations. There should be no shared athletic equipment (towels, clothing, shoes, or sports specific equipment) between students. Students should wear their own appropriate workout clothing (do not share clothing). Individual clothing/towels should be washed and cleaned after every workout. Physical Activity and Athletic Equipment All athletic equipment, including balls, should be cleaned after each individual use and prior to the next workout. Individual drills requiring the use of athletic equipment are permissible, but the equipment should be cleaned prior to use by the next individual. Physical contact such as high-fives, fist bumps, and hugs should not be allowed. General Activity Description Individual Skill Development and Workouts Maintain Physical Distancing; No Contact with Others No Sharing of Equipment; No Grouping Lower Infection Risk Activities Activities that can be done with physical distancing or individually with no sharing of equipment or the ability to clean the equipment between use by competitors. OSAA Activities: cross country (with staggered starts), track and field*, swimming*, golf, tennis, speech; Other Examples: Alpine skiing, sideline cheer, single sculling Notes: In swimming, relays need to maintain social distance. In track and field, any field event with an implement needs to be cleaned after each use and masks to be worn by participants. Cross Country Runners should maintain at least 6 feet of distancing between individuals, no grouping (i.e. starts and finishes). Track & Field Runners should maintain at least 6 feet of distancing between individuals, no grouping (i.e. starts and finishes). No sharing of implements / equipment. Padded equipment should be cleaned between use. Swimming Swimming pools are closed statewide. Golf Maintain appropriate physical distancing 6 feet apart. Tennis Conditioning, no sharing of balls, each player may use own can of balls to serve and uses racket to pass other balls (singles only), ball machine use by individuals only. Players may do individual drills, wall volleys and serves. Wipe down rackets and balls after. Speech Maintain appropriate physical distancing 6 feet apart. Moderate Infection Risk Activities Activities that involve close, sustained contact, but with protective equipment in place that may reduce the likelihood of respiratory particle transmission between participants OR intermittent close contact OR group sports OR sports that use equipment that can’t be cleaned between participants. OSAA Activities: volleyball*, soccer, baseball*, softball*, basketball; Other Examples: Water polo, ice hockey, field hockey, girls lacrosse, crew, 7-on-7 football, gymnastics* Notes: *Could potentially be considered “Lower Infection Risk” with appropriate cleaning of equipment and use of masks by participants. Volleyball Conditioning, individual ball handling drills, each player has own ball. A player should not use a single ball that others touch or hit in any manner. Soccer Conditioning, individual ball skill drills, each player has own ball, feet only (no heading/use of hands), no contact. C:\Users\PeterWeber\Desktop\OSAA Reopening Sports Activities Summer Guidance.docx 5/20/2020 1:30 PM Baseball Softball Conditioning and tee work. Players should not share gloves or bats or throw a single ball that will be tossed among the team. A single player may hit in cages, throw batting practice (with netting as backstop, no catcher). Prior to another athlete using the same balls, they should be collected and cleaned individually. Conditioning and tee work. Players should not share gloves or bats or throw a single ball that will be tossed among the team. A single player may hit in cages, throw batting practice (with netting as backstop, no catcher). Prior to another athlete using the same balls, they should be collected and cleaned individually. Basketball Conditioning, individual ball skill drills, no contact or sharing of balls. A player may shoot with a ball(s), but a team should not practice/pass a single ball among the team where multiple players touch the same ball. Higher Infection Risk Activities Activities that involve close, sustained contact between participants, lack of significant protective barriers, and high probability that respiratory particles will be transmitted between participants. OSAA Activities: football, wrestling, competitive cheerleading, dance/drill, choir, band, orchestra, solo music; Other Examples: boys lacrosse, marching band Football Conditioning and individual drills. A player should not participate in drills with a single ball that will be handed off or passed to other teammates. Contact with other players is not allowed, and there should be no sharing of tackling dummies / donuts / sleds. Protective equipment prohibited. Wrestling Conditioning, mirror drills with spacing, no contact. Wrestlers may skill and drill without touching a teammate (as long as physical distancing is adhered to). Cheerleading Conditioning and individual technique/choreography work. Students may not practice/perform partner or group stunts. Chants, jumps, dance, tumbling without contact are permissible as long as physical distancing is adhered to. Dance/Drill Conditioning and individual technique/choreography work. Students may not practice/perform partner or group stunts. Jumps, dance, tumbling without contact are permissible as long as physical distancing is adhered to. Music The extent of the spread of respiratory droplets during singing and the playing of wind instruments is currently under investigation. We recommend restricting these activities in schools until further guidance is available. Signage OHA Why Sign In? Spanish Chinese Russian Vietnamese OHA Do You Have These Symptoms Spanish Chinese Russian Vietnamese OHA Clean Hands Save Lives Spanish Chinese Russian Vietnamese CDC Print Resources Additional Resources / Links White House Guidelines for Opening Up America Again Spanish Reopening Oregon: Details on Restarting Public Life and Business Spanish OHA Guidance for Summer Camps Spanish Chinese Russian Vietnamese OHA Guidance for Outdoor Recreation Spanish Chinese Russian Vietnamese OHA Guidance for Fitness-Related Organizations CDC Considerations for Youth Sports CDC Recommendations Regarding the Use of Cloth Face Coverings NFHS Guidance for Opening Up High School Athletic and Activities NCAA Core Principles of Resocialization of Collegiate Sport U.S. Olympics and Paralympics Committee: Return to Training Considerations Swiss Rugby Union Protection Concept for Resumption of Sports Activities C:\Users\PeterWeber\Desktop\OSAA Reopening Sports Activities Summer Guidance.docx 5/20/2020 1:30 PM COVID‐19 Participant / Coach Monitoring Form Date: Stable/Pod/Group: Name Drop off  time Participant/Coach  Telephone Number Emergency Contact & Phone  Number Program: Temp. Fever? Any fever within  last 4‐8 Hours? Cough? Shortness of  Breath? Close contact  Last time  with anyone with  traveling out  COVID‐19? of state? YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO Pick up  time