WBBL 2020-2021 Rec Season COVID Protocols
Our continued priority is the health, safety, and well-being of our players, coaches, staff, and our community. The Covid-19 Safety Playbook below gives everyone the ability to lessen as much risk as possible for our community. We will monitor the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), state, and local health officials' guidance and communications, and these protocols will continue to be evaluated. We will keep you updated if anything changes.
Please take the time to review the Covid-19 Safety Playbook carefully.
We hope that this information will provide you a clear picture of what to expect as we return to the court.
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PLAYER PROTOCOLS:
- Any player with COVID-19 symptoms must leave and are encouraged to stay home.
- Masks/facial coverings for players will be required when entering and exiting the gym for practices and games.
- Before players can remove their masks to begin warm-ups, our gym supervisors will be required to check the temperature of each player. Anyone with a temperature higher than 100.4 Fahrenheit will not be able to play and will be asked to leave.
- Mask/facial coverings will be suggested, but not be required to be worn by players while on the court (i.e. while practicing and in the game playing).
- Masks/facial coverings for players will be required when sitting on the bench and not in the game.
- We will require that every player brings their own water bottle that is clearly marked with the player’s name to reduce transmission risk. There will be NO facility water fountains available for use.
- There will be no after game hand shakes until further notice.
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COACH PROTOCOLS:
- Any coach with COVID-19 symptoms must leave and are encouraged to stay home.
- Masks/facial coverings for coaches will be required when entering and exiting the gym for practices and games.
- Mask/facial coverings will required to be worn by coaches during the duration of the game and practice.
- Before each game, our gym supervisors will be required to check the temperature every coach. Anyone with a temperature higher than 100.4 Fahrenheit will not be able to coach and will be asked to leave.
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TEAM / GAME PROTOCOLS:
- There will be no tipoff this year. Possession at the beginning of the game will be decided by a coin toss. Winning team can choose to go on offense or defense, then possessions will alternate based on normal rule.
- There will be no after game handshakes this year.
- There will be no concession during the 2020-2021 season at any gym locations.
- Any referee or gym supervisor with COVID-19 symptoms must leave and are encouraged to stay home.
- Before each game, our gym supervisors will be required to check the temperature every referee. Anyone with a temperature higher than 100.4 Fahrenheit will not be able to coach and will be asked to leave.
- Masks/facial coverings for referees will be required during the duration of the game.
- Games may be played with only 1 referee.
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GAME DAY SPECTATOR PROTOCOLS:
- Any person with COVID-19 symptoms must leave and are encouraged to stay home
- All spectators and people moving freely throughout the gym/facility will be required to wear a mask at all times.
- The City Parks and Rec will be giving us some guidelines to not bring too many fans in to the games this season. Some of you may have experienced this policy with other City Parks and Rec sports this summer or early fall. We will be required to be able to properly social distance in the stands during games. We will be offering a live stream option for people who are unable to attend through the Dick’s Game Changer Team Manager App. There will be information on this to come.
- 6-foot social distancing when entering/exiting in the facility, in the stands, and restrooms should be kept at all times if possible.
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PRACTICE PROTOCOLS:
- Any person with COVID-19 symptoms must leave and are encouraged to stay home.
- With the exception of KAEC, all other practice locations have a "no spectators at practice policy" - meaning unless your child practices at KAEC (where you can easily social distance in the stands with a mask on), parents will be asked to drop their child off and wait for them to be finished practicing in their car.
This policy is especially strict at Bearden Middle School. Also, please refrain from sitting and waiting in the BMS commons area due to the sanitizing that takes place for their lunch protocol.
If you wish to come in for the first practice and meet your coach, that's okay. Moving forward we ask that you please follow this policy. We know several of you wish to watch your child for the duration of practice, but unfortunately in order for us to be able to continue to use the facilities for practices we must abide by their requests.
- We will require that every player brings their own water bottle that is clearly marked with the player’s name to reduce transmission risk. There will be NO facility water fountains available for use.
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FACILITY PROTOCOLS:
- We will have designated entrances and exits (clearly marked) to control foot traffic and to avoid large group cross-traffic in-between games.
- Gyms will be cleared after each game. Players, coaches, spectators may enter after previous game participants and spectators have exited.
- We ask that everyone to the best of their ability avoids congregating in large groups while inside facilities or outside facility doors prior/following any event (i.e. practices and games).
- Please refrain from sitting and waiting in the BMS commons area due to the sanitizing that takes place for their lunch protocol during practices and games.
- When entering and exiting the building please be sure to not crowd doorways/hallways. The back door hallway at KAEC can be especially tight. We now are able to use the front door at KAEC to enter and exit the building for practice and games. Please utilize both doors for practices.
- Gym supervisors will be sanitizing benches and game balls in-between games.
- Hand sanitizer and antibacterial wipes will be provided at each game site.
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GENERAL PARENT PROTOCOLS:
- All parents and coaches will be asked to perform basic symptom checks of their child/player before the start of each practice.
- We ask that if you have been told that you or your child has been directly exposed to someone with COVID-19 or if you have any concerns that you please call Robert immediately at 865.258.3786.
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** Please note: we will adequately adjust our protocols as necessary to ensure the safety of all players, coaches, and spectators. It is our top priority to offer a safe basketball environment for everyone involved.
We ask that everyone in the WBBL community do their part and help us by performing self-symptom checking and staying home when appropriate: if they are showing any symptoms of COVID-19, have a temperature over 100.4 Fahrenheit, have tested positive for COVID-19, or have had close contact with a person with COVID-19. **