DubC Flag Covid-19 Guide

As a company and sports league, we will do our part to protect our volunteers, members, referees and participants by instituting safety protocols to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 and also diligently inform our members/participants of their personal responsibilities which are equally as important.

Guidelines for sports activities have been made available by the CDC, health agencies and state and local government which will be our primary reference points.  These guidelines continue to evolve, and we will remain vigilant in updating our practices.

In addition to our general liability waiver we have added a Covid-19 specific waiver which registrants will be required to accept before the season starts.  After reviewing available guidelines, the intent of this waiver is for participants to understand expectations after registering for a season.

The league will be in communication with our members/participants if warranted, reminding them of the terms of their commitment, sending out supplemental information, keeping everyone’s awareness heightened and alerting of any developments on new guidance or exposures.

On-site, any volunteers or staff monitoring, administering or officiating activities will be wearing masks (when possible) and observing for compliance while reporting any concerns back to the league.

Below are the steps we’re taking to maximize everyone’s safety, while allowing us to return to play. We’ll need everyone’s support and cooperation to keep us all safe, so make sure you and your teammates are following all of these!  Following all these rules is what allows spectators possible at our events.  If this is something that spectators will not or cannot follow, we will need to scale back to only 1 spectator per player, as other surrounding flag leagues now do, or worst-case scenario is zero spectators.

Guidelines for Activities

• Follow all CDC, State and Local guidelines.
• All players, referees and staff must stay home if they have or have had in the past 24 hours any of the following symptoms (not related to seasonal allergies):
  • Temperature above 100.3
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Runny Nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Any other symptoms the CDC has identified as COVID-19 related
• Do not attend if you have been asked to self-isolate or quarantine by a doctor or local public health official within the past 14 days.
• Do not attend if you knowingly had “close contact” with an individual diagnosed with COVID-19 within the past 14 days. “Close contact” means living in the same household as a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, caring for a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, being within 6 feet of a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, or coming in direct contact with secretions (e.g., sharing utensils, being coughed on) from a person who has tested positive for COVID-19.  Medical Professionals who are servicing COVID-19 patients are exempt from this portion of the guidelines.
• If you have tested positive as a spectator, we recommend that if you decide to come to the game, you must distance at least 15 feet from others, especially if you have not taken a follow-up test since you were positive and received a negative test result, even if you have quarantined for 14 days.
• If a player lives with, comes in close contact with, someone who has a positive test result (or themselves have a positive test result), the league and/or the coach reserve the right to require any said player to wear a mask if any of the follow conditions are met:  1) Player has been near, in contact, or in quarantine with another who has had symptoms or tested positive, 2)  Player has been near, in contact, or in quarantine with another who has had symptoms or tested positive and themselves have not had a negative test, 3) Player has been near, in contact, or in quarantine with another who has had symptoms or tested positive and themselves do not show symptoms (player may be asymptomatic and still contagious).
• See specific guidelines under “GUIDELINES” section.

We also require the following:

• Do NOT arrive too EARLY and leave the fields immediately when your game/practice is over. Participants will be allowed to enter the fields 10 minutes prior to a scheduled activity start time. Wait in your car or far away from the field until it is your time to start.  There will be 30 minutes between games to allow the separation of teams and spectators arriving/departing.
• Use the bathroom at home and limit park restroom usage to emergencies only.
• Bring and utilize your own personal face mask to reduce the risk of exposure to others throughout the designated fields. Masks should be worn when entering or exiting the venue or fields and in any public areas such as the bathroom.  ALL Spectators must wear masks!!! See specific policy under “MASK POLICY” section.
• Recommended that you bring and utilize your own supply of hand sanitizer and apply after touching any high-touch surfaces.
• Bring your own reusable water bottle with your name on it and bring it home with you. Disposable plastic or glass water bottles are not recommended. Do not share water bottles.
• Maintain six feet of distance from fellow participants, volunteers, referees and staff members while outside an activity as well as whenever reasonably possible within an activity.  No handshakes or hi-fives.
• Avoid touching your face as much as possible during your game/practice time.  No licking of fingers/hand or spitting into hand/gloves.  No sunflower seeds or spitting.
• Whenever possible, disinfect equipment after handling using disinfecting wipes or sanitizer that is either personally or league provided. Do not share anyone else’s equipment, flags, water, food or bags.
• Observe and follow any additional directions and precautions provided by the league or representatives themselves.

As referenced in our “PREPAREDNESS PLAN” section, participants/volunteers/members/spectators in DubC Flag activities agree to bring their own facial covering and abide by the following guidelines:

ALWAYS wear your mask when…

• arriving and leaving the premises of an activity (game/practice).
• in any public used areas such as bathrooms, etc.

*All spectators are required to wear masks.

*Players must wear masks while on sidelines waiting to participate.  We strongly encourage players to wear masks while playing, but not required.

*All coaches must wear masks at all times.  Masks must be worn by all coaches during all practices and games.  Coaches are able to pull down masks while instructing ONLY when they are maintaining at least a 10ft distance from all players/spectators.

**Officials/Referees must wear a mask at all times, and always required when within 6ft of others.

**Those with medical conditions that cannot wear a mask and cannot abide by these guidelines must maintain at least a 15ft distance from all members/participants/spectators/officials/referees/volunteers.  If you cannot abide by this policy it is recommended to watch from your vehicle or not attend.

ALL GUIDELINES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE ALONG WITH RECOMMENDATIONS AND MANDATES FROM GOVERNMENTS AND HEALTH DEPARTMENTS.  CHANGES WILL BE ANNOUNCED.

The following are guidelines that are required to be followed in conjunction with all safety measures outlined in the “PREPAREDNESS PLAN” section. Some important highlights to point out from the plan are:

• Do not attend if sick, displaying any symptoms of the Coronavirus, have been asked to quarantine within 10 days, or knowingly had close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past 10 days.
• Only Spectators wearing masks are permitted at practice/game sites.
• No celebratory contact after points, games, subbing or making a good play.
• No handshakes, high fives, fist bumps, elbow bumps, chest bumps etc… allowed between players.
• Maintain at least six feet of distance from fellow participants and DubC staff/officials/volunteers while outside an activity as well as whenever reasonably possible within an activity.
• See “MASK POLICY” section for updated masking requirements.
• Personal supply of sanitizer if possible to use frequently before, during and after games/practices.

Please note all guidelines and safety measures are subject to change depending on updates issued by the CDC, state and local authorities.

Flag Football

• Each team uses its own ball (provided by league)
• Balls must be sanitized before, at the half and after each game
• Recommend sanitizing flags before/after all games/practices
• No outside player equipment such as bags or balls are allowed.  Only a water bottle and necessary equipment (flags, gloves, mouthpiece) are allowed.
• Team huddles must maintain an acceptable level of social distance.  Coaches must help maintain and teach to players.
• Subs must social distance and are encouraged to stand in place.
• Coaches should not touch any players or any of their equipment (i.e. fixing flag belts, tie cleats, etc.).  Exceptions can be made if sanitizing procedures are followed.
• Parents should make sure that kids cleats are tied tight and flags are cut to size or securely taped down before the game.  Parents should be the only individuals allowed to touch/adjust a players equipment.  Exceptions can be made if sanitizing procedures are followed.
• Each team of subs should be on opposite sides of the middle of the field, do not cross the middle of the field towards your opponent’s side
• Spectators must not be on the same side of the field as the players
• Spectators must not be within 50 feet of any player sidelines, particularly behind the sidelines
• Spectators must not approach the players on the sidelines, NO EXCEPTIONS, and must remain within 50 feet of players on sidelines