REC Soccer:  Safety Protocols

Teaneck Junior Soccer League (TJSL) REC Soccer Safety Protocols

In light of the current public health concerns related to COVID-19, TJSL is offering MODIFIED soccer programming for both our REC Soccer and FC TEANECK programs. The programs will offer a combination of soccer training, led by professional trainers, and scrimmages. All parents/guardians must fully read the following guidelines. All participants and families must comply with these guidelines in order to participate in this season’s activities.

1. Health Symptom Screening and Temperature Checks
   • Parents/Guardians should not send players who are sick, have immediate family/household members who are sick, or who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the past 14 days to soccer activities.
   • TJSL has the right to require parents/guardians to complete and submit a health symptom screening questionnaire for each child the day of EACH soccer activity in which the player participates. TJSL has the right to exclude a child from soccer activities if the questionnaire is not complete or if any health risk factors are identified on the questionnaire. 
   • TJSL has the right to take each player’s temperature at check-in, prior to entry onto the fields. If a player’s temperature reading is 100.4 or higher, TJSL has the right to exclude that player from soccer activities on that day.
   • If a player is excluded from soccer activities for either reason detailed above, TJSL has the right to require a parent/guardian to bring the child home immediately.
      
2. Drop-Off/Pick-Up Procedures
   • TJSL has the right to require each player to check in with a TJSL representative  before being allowed on the field.
   • TJSL has the right to exclude a player from his/her scheduled soccer activity if s/he arrives more than 10 minutes after the scheduled start.
   • TJSL has the right to ask that players in the U7, U9 and U11 divisions  be accompanied to check-in and met at the gate at pick-up by a parent or guardian. 
   • TJSL asks that all players and families practice social distancing while walking to/from their cars.  
   • Families are strongly discouraged from carpooling with anyone not in their immediate family. 
      
3. Equipment/Uniforms
   • For the current season, players will be issued by TJSL: a training shirt, socks, a pinnie, and a ball. 
   • Players must come to each session wearing their training shirts, shin guards covered by socks, soccer cleats or sneakers, and a face mask covering their nose and mouth. 
   • Players must bring their TJSL issued ball and pinnie, as well as their own water bottle, to each session. Parents/Guardians should label all the child’s items, including ball and pinnie with their player’s name. Parents/Guardians must clean these items between sessions. 
   • Players will be instructed to place their personal items in a personally designated area. Players should not share water bottles, pinnies or other equipment.
   • TJSL has the right to ask players to wear face masks covering their nose and mouth upon arrival and departure from soccer sessions, as well as during non-active times of the session. Players will be permitted to remove face masks while actively participating in soccer activities.
   • Players should not  touch any trainer-provided equipment such as cones. Trainers will provide game balls for scrimmages and will be instructed to sanitize balls between sessions
   • Goalie gloves will not be provided by TJSL. Any player who is interested in wearing gloves while playing the goalie position should bring his/her own gloves. Gloves may not be shared between players. 
      
4. COVID-19 Reporting and Response
   • Parents/Guardians are asked to notify TJSL if their player or a family/household member tests positive or is presumed positive for COVID-19. TJSL will endeavor to protect the privacy of the affected player.
   • TJSL has the right to exclude a player who has tested positive or is presumed positive for COVID-19, or whose family/household member has tested positive or is presumed positive for COVID-19, from soccer activities until proof of a negative COVID-19 test is provided to TJSL.
   • Soccer sessions may be cancelled, and not rescheduled, at the discretion of TJSL to promote health and safety. There are no refunds for cancellations, apart from the TJSL Refund Policy.
      
5. Health Promotion and Sanitation
   • TJSL will endeavor to make hand sanitizer available at the fields. Players should wash their hands following CDC guidelines before and after soccer sessions.
   • Trainers, coaches and volunteers will be instructed to wear masks at all times.
   • TJSL has the right to limit access to the fields to players, trainers and volunteers who have been trained in health/safety protocols.
   • TJSL has the right to prohibit high fives, handshakes, fist bumps, or other group celebrations.
   • TJSL has the right to separate a player who feels unwell during the course of a soccer activity from the rest of the participants. Parents/Guardians will be asked to pick up the child when notified. 
   • Families should minimize the number of spectators at soccer activities.
   • TJSL has the right to require spectators to wear face masks covering their nose and mouth and to maintain a social distance of at least 6 feet from anyone not in their immediate family.