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SFC's COVID-19 Requirements to Play

By Web Admin, 11/17/20, 12:00AM PST

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Revised November 16, 2020

SFC's updated requirements for play were reviewed and approved by Seattle Parks and Recreation on November 17, 2020.

Requirement Update as of November 16, 2020

Masks must be worn at all times by all players, coaches, participants, and spectators. This is reflected in the requirements published below.

Effective November 16, youth and adult sports are limited to outdoor recreation only. Masks are required for everyone – including athletes during play or practice. Please note this change as masks were not previously required during play or practice.

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Revised October 12, 2020

Governor Inslee has announced a new set of protocols for Washington State regarding outdoor recreation and, in particular, youth sports. Below are SFC's safety requirements in order to ensure we continue to play softball safely.

Summary of October 6, 2020 Changes: Youth team sports guidance has been greatly expanded

  • Youth team sports now includes both school and non-school sports, both indoor and outdoor 
  • Sports are now divided into risk categories
  • Softball is considered a Moderate Risk Sport 
  • Moderate risk sports include softball, baseball, t-ball, soccer, futsal, volleyball, lacrosse, flag football, ultimate frisbee, ice hockey, cricket, gymnastics, crew, field hockey, and school bowling competitions
  • Counties are now categorized by COVID activity level measured by new cases per 100K residents in the previous two weeks and the percentage of positive tests 
  • Whether or not a sport is allowed, and to what degree it is allowed depends on a combination of the risk category for the sport and the COVID risk category for the county in which the sport is to take place
  • See the COVID-19 risk assessment dashboard to better understand the new guidelines


Prior to Practice / Games / Event Arrival

  1. Take player and any parent or guest's temperatures. If your temperature is above 100.3, do not attend
  2. If your player, parent or volunteer is sick or showing signs of illness, do not attend
  3. Confirm that player, parent, or volunteer attending have no known exposure to someone with COVID-19. Players, coaches, parents and volunteers should stay home if they feel unwell, show any signs of COVID-19, or have been exposed to, or in close contact with, a confirmed case of COVID-19 
  4. Players, coaches, or volunteers not participating due to COVID-19 symptoms or because they have been exposed to COVID-19 must follow Department of Health and local public health isolation and quarantine guidance before returning to practices, games or events 
  5. Wash and sanitize hands and player equipment before arriving to the field


Practice / Games / Event Requirements

  1. Masking Rules:
    • Masks required for athletes and participants at all times
    • All spectators must wear facial coverings per the Department of Health facial covering order
    • Coaches, umpires, parents, and volunteers must wear face coverings at all times
  2. Remain at least 6’ apart from anyone not in your immediate household when possible except for in-game activity as necessary to play the game
  3. Before participation, all athletes, coaches, parents, and volunteers be screened by the head coach or parent volunteer for signs/symptoms of COVID-19 prior to a workout. Per CDC guidelines, screening questions include confirming participants have not experienced the following:
    • Fever or chills
    • Cough
    • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
    • Fatigue
    • Muscle or body aches
    • Headache
    • New loss of taste or smell
    • Sore throat
    • Congestion or runny nose
    • Nausea or vomiting
    • Diarrhea
  4. Refrain from hugs, high fives, handshakes or any other physical contact with those outside of your immediate household
  5. Participants will wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after practice, games, or events. This is especially important after touching shared objects or blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains 60-95% alcohol content
  6. Cover your cough or sneeze. Use your elbow and not your hands. No spitting. Refrain from touching your face and mouth
  7. Parents and other spectators should remain away from dugouts, player practice and staging areas. Depending on the venue and local ordinances, this may include bleachers and/or sidelines.
  8. No food will be allowed in the dugout/player staging areas including sunflower seeds
  9. Bring your own food and water to practices, games, or events. Water will not be provided and food may not be available depending on the venue
  10. Bat bags and other personal items are to remain outside of dugout in a designated area for each player, maintaining 6’ of separation from other players gear
  11. Players and spectators should provide their own hand sanitizer/wipes/spray for their own equipment
  12. Do not share equipment including face masks, bats, batting gloves, helmets, catching gear, etc. 


During the Practice / Game / Event

  • Social Distancing Monitor: Each team will designate a parent to be social distancing setup and monitor for the entire time they are in the complex. This person will help players position themselves with their setup areas and spectator social distancing
  • Sanitizing Monitor: Each team will have a sanitizing person and a sanitizing station. Responsibilities will include sanitizing your team’s softballs while on defense and between innings for use in the next inning. Collecting equipment (bats, helmets, etc.) that is not able to be retrieved by the batter themselves. If a batter makes an out they should retrieve their own equipment before going back to their dugout. SFC will provide handwashing or hand sanitizing stations at training and contest locations
  • Foul Balls will be retrieved by the defensive team and returned to the sanitizing person before being put back in play


Other Requirements

  1. Bring a chair as bleachers may not always be available or there may not be enough room to keep a social distance. 
  2. Bring food and water for your player, food sharing between players is not allowed and many venues may not open concessions
  3. Bring your own hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes
  4. Scrimmages, intra-team competitions, and league games allowed for both low and moderate risk sports
  5. Spectators
    • No spectators allowed except for one adult parent/guardian/caregiver for each minor-aged participant allowed.
    • Spectators must maintain physical distance of at least 6’ between each person.
    •  No spectators allowed for participants 18 and older.
    • The team parent or head coach will maintain a record of each spectator per event for 28 days following the event.
    •  Coaches will communicate spectator requirements to parents.
  6. Coaches will maintain player and volunteer attendance rosters with group contact information. Player and volunteer attendance rosters must be kept on file for 28 days after the practice, contest, or trip
  7. Entering and leaving the playfield: Players and coaches may not enter the playfield until the start of the reservation, and no equipment can be brought to the field until the start of the reservation. Waiting on the sidelines prior to the start of the reservation is not allowed 
  8. All players and coaches must vacate the field within 15 minutes of the end of the reservation. All equipment and garbage must be removed from the field within 15 minutes of the end of the reservation
  9. Transportation 
    • Limit exposure to those outside the household unit during travel. Encourage only those in the same household to travel together, and if not in the same household, travel in separate vehicles if possible. 
    • For travel groups, all members of the travel group, including the driver, must wear a face covering and spread out as much as possible within the vehicle. Limit travel groups to those who have been in regular contact (e.g. team members). Encourage family members to sit together. Maximize ventilation in the vehicle by opening windows