RETURN TO PLAY PHASE 1 GUIDELINES

The New Jersey Department of Education released its Road Back; Restart and Recovery Plan for Education and the NJSIAA released their return to play update which outlines the delayed start to the Fall Season. 

The NJSIAA Sports Advisory Task Force

It is important to the physical and mental well-being of high school students to return to physical activity and athletic competition and both the NFHS and NJSIAA have provided guidelines to reduce the risks associated with COVID-19. The Becton Athletic Department is targeting August 13, 2020 for voluntary team training and the information that follows should provide information to assist in having our athletes back to training in a responsible manner.  Should there be any changes to the start date, athletes will be contacted by their coach and/or the Athletic Department.

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Prior to starting PHASE 1 in-person participation training, the following MUST be completed:

1. Student-athletes must have registered online for participation in a Fall Sport. https://parents.genesisedu.com/cer/sis/view?gohome=true
    
2. All incoming Freshmen student athletes must have a valid physical on file with the Nurse’s Office. This four page document must be completed and returned to the Nurse prior to August 8, 2020.

Participation Physical Evaluation History Form

All incoming freshmen need to complete the COVID-19 Questionnaire by August 8, 2020 and submit to Nurse’s Office. 

COVID-19 Questionnaire

3. Student athletes who presently have COVID-19 or who have tested positive for COVID-19 shall provide clearance from a physician before he/she will be permitted to participate in workouts.
    
4. All student athletes who have a physical on file from last year must complete and submit the NJDOE Health History Update Questionnaire.  This form must be completed within seven (7) days prior to the start of the first workout session and returned to the Nurse’s Office. Any athlete who does NOT have the Health History Update Questionnaire on file prior to August 8^th will not be permitted to participate in any summer workouts.

NJDOE Health History Update Questionnaire

5. Student athletes and/or coaches/athletic staff who answered “yes” to any of the questions and fall into the following categories must provide medical clearance from a physician:
   1. Any coach/staff member or student-athlete who has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
   2. Any coach/staff member or student-athlete with a member of his/her household who has been diagnosed with COVID-19.

There will be NO WALK UPs permitted to participate in Phase 1 conditioning.

Parents:  Please make sure your emergency contact information and cell phone contact is properly entered in your genesis account. https://parents.genesisedu.com/cer/sis/view?gohome=true

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CONDITIONS APPLICABLE DURING PHASE 1:

1. Screening

1.  The Assistant Coach and/or designated staff members will conduct daily screening. This staff members cannot be the head coach.
2.  Arrival and departure times of student athletes will be staggered.  Anyone late to allotted prescreening time will not be able to participate in workouts.  NO EXCEPTIONS.
3.  Each day all coaches, student athletes, and staff must clear the screening process before they are permitted to participate in the workouts.

The screening process will consist of a review of the COVID-19 Daily Pre-Screening Questionnaire, which shall be completed prior to arrival and provided upon arrival to the Athletic Staff, Athletic Director and/or member designated.

COVID-19 Daily Screening Questions

This form must be submitted each and every day that the student-athlete attends a workout. 

A temperature check will be conducted after the daily screening questionnaire is approved. Please indicate on the COVID-19 Daily Screening Form whether you have traveled to any of the states listed on the New Jersey COVID-19 Information HUB, Which states are on the travel advisory list? Are there travel restrictions to or from New Jersey?

D.  Any individual who answers “yes” to any question on the daily screening questionnaire, or who has a temperature greater than 100.4°F, shall not be permitted to participate in the workout. The student will be isolated from other participants. Parents will be immediately notified as the individual shall be required to immediately depart the school grounds or the training site and return home.  The student athlete will also be required to provide clearance from a physician before they will be permitted to resume participation in the workouts.

E.  Parents are instructed to wait at the drop off site until their student athlete clears the screening process and proceeds to their assigned workout area.

F.  Upon successful completion of the screening process, student athletes should proceed to their assigned area for the workouts and parents should depart the school grounds/training site until pickup.

2. Parent/Guardian Drop-Off/Pick-Up

A.  After a student-athlete completes the screening process (questionnaire and temperature check), the individual who provided transportation for the student athlete must leave the facility/training area immediately.  Drop off is on Railroad Ave.  Pick up is by the field house.  Parents can park in the parking lot across from the field house.

B.  Access to workouts is limited to athletes, coaches, and appropriate school personnel. Parents, guardians, siblings, coaches’ family members, or other guests will NOT be allowed at the training site during workouts.

C.  NO CAR POOLING ALLOWED.

3. Workouts

A.  Workouts will be held at Riggin Field unless otherwise noted. The exact location will be determined and shared with our coaching staff who will then share with student athletes.

B.  Workouts will be held during designated time slots in the A.M. Monday through Friday.  Each group of student athletes will receive a time slot for screening and workouts.

C.  Workouts shall be no more than 90 minutes in duration, will usually be 60 minutes in duration, and shall include a 10 minute warm-up and a 10 minute cool down.

D.  Only one workout per day is permitted and there must be one (1) day of rest per every seven (7) days.

E.  All workouts shall take place outside during Phase 1.

F.  Access to workouts must be limited to student athletes, coaches, and appropriate school personnel.

G.  There shall not be any physical contact, of any kind, between student athletes and coaches during Phase 1.

H.  Throughout Phase 1, workouts shall be limited to conditioning, skill sets, and sport-specific non-contact drills.

I.  Coaches should have pre-drawn structured workouts for the duration of the session.

J.  Workouts shall always comply with the NJSIAA Heat Participation Policy.

K.  Student athletes should be provided with unlimited access to fluids (water breaks). Students must bring their own water bottles that MUST NOT be shared. During all workouts, coaches and staff are reminded to be alert for any students exhibiting signs of distress regarding physical and mental health secondary to the COVID-19 pandemic.

4. Procedures for student athletes/coaches that are symptomatic or have tested positive for COVID-19

A student athlete has signs or symptoms of COVID-19:

A.  A student athlete must self-isolate and contact their doctor for further instructions.
B.  A return-to-play note from a DO or MO must be completed before the student athlete may return to workouts.
C.  The related pod will be permitted to continue until results are known of the symptomatic student athlete.
D.  All members of the related pod must be extremely vigilant in checking for signs or symptoms multiple times each day.

A student athlete has tested positive for COVID-19:

A.  A student athlete must self-isolate for 14 days from the date of the positive test and follow his/her doctors’ orders.
B.  All members of the related pod must self-isolate for 14 days from the date of the last exposure and follow their doctors’ orders.
C.  A return-to-play note from a DO or MO must be completed before all student athletes of the related pod may return to workouts.
D.  A return to play directive with gradual increased participation should be supplied by the student athlete’s physician and shared with the coach and athletic trainer.

A coach has signs or symptoms of COVID-19:

A.  The coach must self-isolate and contact their doctor for further instructions.
B.  A return-to-play note from a DO or MO must be completed before the coach may return to workouts.
C.  The related pod will be permitted to continue until results are known of the symptomatic coach.
D.  All members of the related team/pod must be extremely vigilant in checking for signs or symptoms multiple times each day.

A coach has tested positive for COVID-19:

A.  The coach must self-isolate for 14 days from the date of the positive test and follow their doctors’ orders.
B.  If the coach was not directly engaged in a particular pod (within 6 feet for at least 15 minutes) and just supervised workouts while maintaining proper social distances and wearing a mask, then the team and pod may continue if other coaches are available.
C.  If the coach was directly engaged in a particular pod, then all members of the related pod must self-isolate for 14 days from the date of the last exposure and follow their doctors’ orders.
D.  A return-to-play note from a DO or MO must be completed for all coaches and student athletes that were forced to isolate before they may return to workouts.

NOTE: All positive cases shall be reported to school officials and local Board of Health officials (BOH) as per CDC and BOH guidelines.

5. Face Coverings

1.  Student athletes must wear face coverings during the screening and until the workout begins.  STUDENTS MUST PROVIDE OWN MASK AND WATER BOTTLE. Any student without these two items will not be able to participate in the work out.  NO EXCEPTIONS.  Please label water bottle with name.
    
2.  Student athletes who are engaged in high-intensity aerobic activity, e.g., running, sprinting, etc., do not need to wear face coverings during the period of the aerobic activity. Once the aerobic activity is over, student athletes shall wear face coverings.
    
3.  Student athletes who are not engaged in high-intensity aerobic activity, e.g., sitting on the bench, reviewing plays, watching videos, waiting in line, etc., shall wear face coverings.
    
4.  Coaches and district personnel must wear face coverings at all times.

6. Groupings/Social Distancing

1.  No more than ten (10) student athletes may be grouped together in a single area and the groups should be predetermined by the coach prior to the start of the screenings and workouts.
    
2.  Social distancing of at least six (6) feet shall be maintained between student athletes and staff at all times, including within the ten (10) student athlete groupings.
    
3.  Once student athlete groupings are determined, student athletes may not switch to another grouping.
    
4.  More than one group of student athletes can be in a single area, provided there is 12 to 18 feet between each group of student athletes.
    
5.  Groupings must stay together throughout the entirety of Phase 1.
    
6.  Coaches may move from one grouping to another but must always wear face coverings and stay at least six (6) feet apart from student athletes.
    
7.  One coach can supervise multiple groups, as long as face coverings and proper distancing is maintained at all times.
    
8.  There shall not be celebratory contact, e.g., fist bumps, high-fives, huddles, etc.

7. Sports Equipment

1.  Sports equipment shall not be shared at any time during Phase 1 with the exception of school supplied balls/equipment.
    
2.  Each student athlete shall bring individual water bottles to each workout for his/her own personal consumption. There shall not be any trading or sharing of water bottles.
    
3.  All sports equipment and touchpoints (e.g., benches, agility cones, ladders, clipboards, etc.) must be cleaned and disinfected after each workout with EPA approved cleaners and disinfectants against COVID-19.

8. Locker Rooms/Restrooms

1.  Student athletes shall not have access to locker rooms at any time.
    
2.  Restrooms in the field house will be unlocked and made available for student athletes and coaches to use as needed during workouts.
    
3.  Restrooms shall be cleaned and disinfected regularly with EPA approved cleaners and disinfectants against COVID-19.
    
4.  Restrooms use shall be limited to one person at a time.
    
5. To the fullest extent possible, appropriate social distancing shall be maintained, and face coverings are worn when more than one person is in the restroom.

9. Hygiene

1.  Student athletes and staff should make every effort to wash their hands as often as possible including before and after the workout.
    
2.  Hand sanitizer shall be accessible at all times.  This will be available each day at the training site.
    
3.  Student athletes shall wear their workout gear to the workout and shall return home in the same workout gear.
    
4.  There shall be no spitting or chewing seeds or gum during the workout.

10. Inclement Weather

1.  If inclement weather that would prevent outside workouts from taking place safely is   forecasted, every attempt will be made to communicate the cancellation of that scheduled workout ahead of time.
    
2.  If inclement weather unexpectedly develops during the workout and student athletes and   coaches must seek shelter, the main gymnasium or fieldhouse will be utilized to maintain social distancing and masks will be required for everyone in those areas until they can be picked up.  Student athletes with their own transportation will be permitted to leave.
    
3.  Workouts cancelled or cut short by inclement weather will not be re-scheduled within the same day.