Susan Clark Junior High Athletics

Hello Susan Clark Junior High Families!

Our number one priority at SCJH for the 2020-2021 athletic season is the safety of our student-athletes, coaches, spectators, opponents, event workers, and referees. We are very excited to get our fall sports seasons started, but want to ensure that everyone is informed on COVID-19 guidelines and safety measures in each specific sport. 

Though we are running a hybrid schedule at SCJH, we still strongly encourage that student-athletes attend practice EVERY DAY during their season if they are able. Virtual only learners are also encouraged to participate in athletics. We understand that transportation may be an issue for some athletes and their families, and they may only be able to attend practices on their scheduled in-person learning day. We encourage families to work together to carpool student-athletes to practices when possible as we are not able to provide transportation to practices on a student’s virtual learning days. Athletes will not be penalized for missing practice on their non scheduled in-person learning day or for missing practice due to illness or COVID-19 related symptoms. 

Practice start dates for 1st season Fall sports:

7th and 8th-grade Football

– Equipment handout will be Wednesday, September 2nd, and Thursday, September 3rd from 3:45-5pm. Athletes may attend one or both days. 

-1st official practice is Tuesday, September 8th 3:45-5:30pm. 

7th and 8th-grade Volleyball-

– 1st practice is Tuesday, September 8th at SCJH and McKinley Elementary from 3:45-5pm. 

7th and 8th-grade Cross Country-

-1st practice is Tuesday, September 8th at SCJH from 3:45-5pm.

*Individual practice and game schedules will be given to student athletes on the first day of practice and can also be found on SCJH website.

Please be sure to evaluate your student athlete’s health daily to ensure it is safe for them to attend school, practices, and contests. 

Student-Athletes should not attend school, practices, or contests if: 

• They have been in contact with anyone with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis in the last 14 days.

If they have one of the following:

• Fever/chills/body aches (fever defined as > 100 degrees)
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

OR at least two of the following (with no other confirmed cause, like seasonal allergies):

• Nasal congestion or runny nose
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste or smell
• Nausea/ vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
  

Student Athletic forms can be picked up at SCJH main office or printed from the website below.

http://www.muscatine.k12.ia.us/wms/activities-athletics/athletic-forms/

If you have any questions regarding athletics, please feel free to email or call Athletic Coordinator Katie Hyink at SCJH. 

katie.hyink@mcsdonline.org 563-263-0411

Below are the sport-specific guidelines that will be followed during the 2020 fall season.  All guidelines are subject to change based on the recommendations shared with the Muscatine Activities Department.

Football Guidelines 2020 Season

Social Distancing

• Coaches are responsible for ensuring social distancing is maintained between players as much as possible.  Recommendations include:
  • Spacing between players while stretching and performing drills so that players remain 6 feet apart.
  • Avoid close congregating of players while receiving coaching instruction.
  • The NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee recommends that workouts should be conducted in “pods” of students, with the same 5-10 students always working out together.  Coaches should keep a record of who is in each pod to facilitate contact-tracing if necessary.
  • Schools should take steps to separate the different levels of their football programs into different areas so that potential contamination can be limited in case of a positive case. This includes use of locker rooms.
  • The IHSAA will be expanding the team box for the 2020 season to each respective 10-yard lines, providing 30 additional yards for players and personnel to spread out. This adoption is for players only. Coaches are still mandated to be inside the 25-yard lines. Coaches may enter the expanded team box area for supervision purposes only.
  • Only essential personnel are permitted on the field of play.
    • The field of play is defined as the area within the boundary lines and the goal lines.
    • Essential personnel are defined as players, coaches, athletic trainers, and officials.
    • All others, i.e., ball attendants, managers, video people, media photographers, etc. are considered non-essential personnel and are to be on the sideline, maintaining social distance of 6 feet apart.
  • Coaches and officials should follow 6 feet social distancing when interacting with each other.
  • Depending on team size, schools should consider whether roster limits (including travel rosters) should be implemented to improve social distancing.
  • For the mock coin toss, the referee, umpire and one designated representative from each team. Coin toss should take place in the center of the field with designated individuals maintaining social distancing of 6 feet. No handshakes prior to and following the coin toss. For the overtime procedure, the same procedure was used at the start of the contest for the coin toss.
  • Teams shall NOT exchange handshakes following the contest – teams can acknowledge opponents with other appropriate non-contact measures.

Practice/Game Protocols

• Sanitizing: Hand sanitizing should be used as much as possible. The NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee recommends using hand sanitizer when going to and from 

the field. Players are encouraged to provide their own hand sanitizer and/or sanitizing wipes.

• Equipment Sanitation: It is the coaches responsibility to sanitize equipment such as footballs, shoulder pads, helmets, blocking pads and all other equipment DAILY at the end of practice. 
• Mandatory Timeouts:  An officials’ timeout will be taken every 4 minutes of game clock time in order for teams to properly sanitize and hydrate during the contest. This timeout is to be two minutes in length.  In addition, the intermission between the 1st and 2nd quarter and the 3rd and 4th quarter should also be two minutes in length in order to allow for proper sanitizing and hydration.
• Masks: Masks are required to be worn by game officials, chain gangs, ball retrievers, statisticians, managers, athletic trainers and coaches at all times unless able to 3-6 feet socially distance. It is recommended that players and coaches wear a mask that is a solid color. There is no prohibition on the color of the mask.
• All players are required to wear a mask on the sidelines and in a huddle, but may remove their mask when in game play. 
• Shields: Plastic shields covering the entire face (unless clear and integrated into the face mask and attached to the helmet) shall not be allowed during the contest.
• Mouth Protector: It is recommended that players keep their tooth and mouth protector in their mouths at all times. Each time they touch their tooth and mouth protector, they should sanitize their hands.
• Gloves: Unless made of unaltered plain cloth, gloves must have a permanent, exact replica of the NOCSAE glove seal or the SFIA glove seal. This seal must be visible and appear legibly on the exterior wrist opening of the glove.  Non-athletic gloves, worn solely for the purpose of warmth, and made of unaltered plain cloth and which do not enhance the contact with the ball do not require a stamp indicating compliance.
• Skin Coverage: Players are encouraged to cover up as much of their bare skin as possible. Using long sleeved dry weave shirts and tights can cover bare skin.
• Spitting: Spitting is to be prohibited.
• Use of Water: Water is to be consumed only. Players should not rinse their mouth, rinsing their mouth piece, or pour water on their faces or necks.
• Game Balls: The ball should be cleaned and sanitized throughout the contest using sanitizing solutions recommended by the ball manufacturer. During games, it is recommended that each time there is a fourth down, a new football be brought into play. It is recommended that each team provide at least two reliable, knowledgeable ball attendants for each contest and that they maintain the appropriate social distancing guidelines throughout the contest.
• Facility Sanitizing: At the conclusion of each game, it is necessary to sanitize both the home and visiting team benches and any other areas that may have been used by either team. Spectator areas, locker rooms, training rooms, restrooms, concession stands and press box should also be cleaned and sanitized. This will be done by custodians. 

Bus and Travel Guidelines

• All players and coaches must wear a mask or face covering while riding the bus to and from competitions unless able to socially distance 3-6 feet. 
• Only bring what you need for game play on the bus. 
• Laptops and school supplies should be left at SCJH and picked up when the bus returns to school after the competition. 

Volleyball Guidelines 2020 Season

Practice Sanitation:

• Equipment Sanitation: It is the coach’s responsibility to sanitize equipment such as volleyballs, nets, poles, and all other equipment DAILY at the end of practice. 
• All players must sanitize their hands before and after warm-ups, at all timeouts, between transitions and anytime they leave the playing court. Coaches are strongly encouraged to sanitize their hands as often as possible as well.

General Guidelines

• Schools are asked to read a Public Address Announcement at the start of each match to encourage social distancing (arm test) and to remind spectators to do their part in keeping their student-athletes on the court.
• People (players, coaches, officials, spectators, etc.) feeling sick or that have been exposed to someone sick, should not attend or participate in competitions or practices.
• The IGHSAU strongly encourages all participants and spectators to practice social distancing and to wear face coverings whenever possible.

Pre-Match Procedures

• Attendees for the coin toss is limited to one coach from each team, one captain from each team, first referee and second referee.  All six individuals must maintain a social distance of 3 to 6 feet. Face coverings are strongly encouraged to be worn by all pre-match conference attendees.
• Teams are required to bring their own volleyballs to use for warm-ups for away matches. (Volleyballs must be marked to help with identification purposes when traveling with volleyballs.)
• Teams are not allowed to warm-up outside of the court near their opponents while their opponents have the court for the 6-minute portion of the 5-6-6 warm-up protocol, UNLESS there is another court area for them to utilize.  It is permissible for teams to share the court for the 5-minute ball handling portion of warm-up as teams will be socially distanced by the net. 

During Matches

• Eliminate spectator seating in the first two rows if possible.
• Avoid playing matches simultaneously on side-by-side courts if possible.
• Pre- and postgame handshakes between teams are prohibited. Teams should acknowledge their opponents with a wave, bow, etc. after introductions and/or after the match. 
• Bench personnel should observe social distancing as much as possible. Coaches, players and other bench personnel are required to wear face coverings while on the bench unless they are able to 3-6 foot socially distance.
• All players are allowed to stand near the bench area (not just those in the active rotation) to help with social distancing if needed.
• All players must sanitize their hands before and after warm-ups, at all timeouts, between sets and anytime they leave the playing court. Coaches are strongly encouraged to sanitize their hands as often as possible as well. 
• Host schools must have at least three volleyballs to use for the in-game ball rotation to allow for volleyballs to be sanitized while not in use. The host school will be responsible for sanitization of the in-game volleyballs in the rotation. Volleyballs should be removed from play and sanitized frequently and any time a volleyball is touched by a spectator.
• Players and coaches should practice social distancing of 3 to 6 feet when addressing the second referee and during substitutions.  Players are encouraged to utilize the substitution zone closer to the attack line rather than nearer the net for social distancing purposes between players and the second referee.
• Attendees for the deciding coin toss are limited to one coach and one captain from each team, first referee and second referee.  All individuals must maintain a social distance of 3 to 6 feet. Face coverings are strongly encouraged to be worn by all deciding set coin toss attendees.
• When players are done participating in their designated game, they are required to leave. This will help with social distancing. 

Officials’ Table

• Scorebench personnel should be limited to essential personnel, which includes home team scorer, libero tracker and timer with a recommended distance of 3 to 6 feet between individuals. Visiting team personnel (scorer, statisticians, etc.) are not deemed essential personnel and should find an alternative location. Score Bench personnel are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings.

General Considerations for Volleyball

The following are additional considerations for coaches, student-athletes, officials, parents, and administrators.

Considerations for Coaches

• Communicate your guidelines in a clear manner to students and parents.

• Consider conducting workouts in “pods” of same students always training and rotating together in practice to ensure more limited exposure if someone develops an infection.
• Keep accurate records of those athletes and staff who attend each practice in case contact tracing is needed.

Considerations for Student-Athletes

• Consider making each student responsible for their own supplies (water bottle, hand sanitizer, face covering, towel, etc.)
• Students should wear their own appropriate workout clothing (do not share clothing), and individual clothing/towels should be washed and cleaned after every workout immediately upon returning home. 
• Hand sanitizer should be plentiful at all contests and practices.
• Athletes should tell coaches immediately when they are not feeling well.
• Cloth face coverings are permissible.
• Bring your own water bottle.

Bus and Travel Guidelines

• All players and coaches must wear a mask or face covering while riding the bus to and from competitions unless able to socially distance 3-6 feet. 
• Only bring what you need for game play on the bus. 
• Laptops and school supplies should be left at SCJH and picked up when the bus returns to school after the competition. 

Cross Country Guidelines 2020 Season

General Considerations

• No hugging, shaking hands, or fist bumps.
• Cross country meets may consider using staggered, wave or interval starts. Note at the current time the state qualifying meet and state meet will be using the traditional mass start.   Consideration should be given to the format of the meet, including having different levels run on different nights. 
• Possible Rule Modifications:
  • 8-1-3a: Consider widening the course to at least 6 feet at its narrowest point.
• Consider widening the starting grids including skipping boxes at the starting line.
• Finish:
  • Consider using finish corrals and FAT timing for larger meets as easier to distance at finish.
  • With no FAT timing system consider alternative means of finish place and time to address congestion at finish line. An example includes writing down the bib numbers of finishers rather than tearing bibs.
  • Consider using image-based equipment at the finish to assist with picking a place to avoid congestion.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and exercise equipment.
• Pre and Post Game Ceremony: Establish cross country specific social distancing meet protocols including the elimination of handshakes before and after the meet.
• People (players, coaches, officials, spectators, etc.) feeling sick or that have been exposed to someone sick, should not attend or participate in competitions or practices.
• The IGHSAU strongly encourages all participants and spectators to practice social distancing and to wear face coverings whenever possible.

Considerations for Coaches

• Communicate your guidelines in a clear manner to students and parents.
• Consider conducting workouts in “pods” of same students always training and rotating together in practice to ensure more limited exposure if someone develops an infection.
• Keep accurate records of those athletes and staff who attend each practice in case contact tracing is needed.
• Team Camp Considerations – Social distancing from other teams as much as possible is strongly recommended. Coaches should consider the number of individuals within the camp.  

Considerations for Student-Athletes

• Consider making each student responsible for their own supplies.
• Students should wear their own appropriate workout clothing, and individual clothing/towels should be washed and cleaned after every workout immediately upon returning home.
• Hand sanitizer should be plentiful at all contests and practices.
• Athletes should tell coaches immediately when they are not feeling well.
• Cloth face coverings are permitted.
• Bring your own water bottle.
• Start Protocols – Student/Athletes should have individual bags and locations for sweats – no mass piling of team clothing.
• Finish Protocols – Student/Athletes should remain upright and walk through the chute with the understanding that there will be times that a participant may need medical attention. 

Bus and Travel Guidelines

• All players and coaches must wear a mask or face covering while riding the bus to and from competitions unless able to socially distance 3-6 feet. 
• Only bring what you need for game play on the bus. 
• Laptops and school supplies should be left at SCJH and picked up when the bus returns to school after the competition.