Outdoor 2021 Parent Participant Guidelines

Hello Soccer Parents and Participants,

Saskatoon Youth Soccer Inc. (SYSI) is extremely excited for the start of the Outdoor 2021 season and wish to thank you and your family for being a part of it. With COVID-19, we are stressing the importance of the guidelines our organization has put in place and urge you to take them seriously. We need everyone to do their part in helping us keep soccer programming in place during this pandemic. We understand that it has not been easy but we are committed to providing a safe environment and enjoyable soccer experience for all participants.

Outdoor 2021 General Guidelines:

1. Please be advised that the guidelines set out for the Outdoor Season may be subject to modifications if government guidelines and restrictions during the pandemic change.
2. Adherence to provincial guidelines regarding outdoor public gathering sizes while maintaining physical/social distancing measures.
3. All participation in the SYSI mini leagues is at one’s own risk.
4. Our league reserves the right to implement mandatory guidelines over and above the guidelines set by the authorities and will be implemented to ensure the safety of everyone involved.
5. It’s the responsibility of all involved to remain home if they feel ill or have been in contact with someone who has been ill within the last 14 days; as well as they shall inform their Zone or Community Association Safety Officer.
6. Masks on field and/or the sidelines may be required but not yet determined.
7. Mini leagues will operate in Phase 3 of Saskatchewan Soccer Association’s (SSA) Return to Soccer Play Plan.
8. As per SSA guidelines, although it is highly discouraged, players may partake in more than one mini league operating up to and including Phase 3 in SSA’s Return to Play Plan. Players and parents/caregivers must ensure that stringent safety practices are upheld by these participants.
9. Mini leagues are to remain consistent for both games and training sessions.
10. The maximum participants within a mini league is 50 persons for U5-U9 (3v3, 4v4, 5v5) and 80 persons for U11-U19 (7v7, 9v9, 11v11) and includes all players, team personnel, and referees.
11. SYSI will schedule 8 games for the U5 - U9 mini leagues, 10 games for U11 mini leagues and 10 games + 1 final for U13-U19. Any practices will be scheduled by team coaches and/or the Zone or Community Association.
12. SYSI Community mini leagues U5 will play 3v3 format, U7 will play 4v4 format, U9 will play 5v5 format, U11 will play 7v7 format, U13 will play 9v9 format and U15-U19 will play 11v11 format.

 Parent/Guardian Responsibility

1. Obligated to not attend events in any capacity if they have any symptoms, feeling ill, or has been in contact with someone who is ill and must keep their child home as well.
2. Review the physical/social distancing, hand hygiene and safety procedures with participants to ensure there is obvious understanding of the expectations of the program and at each game and training session.
3. When dropping their child off for games or training they may not enter the field.
4. Ensure the child/participant has all the items that are required to participate. In addition to their soccer bag for clothing items/shoes and a closed water bottle, a Ziploc bag marked clearly with the child’s name should be brought to the field and include the following items:

• Hand sanitizer
• 2 masks
• Medication if required (e.g. inhaler for asthma)
• Band aids for minor scrapes
• Tissues

5. Only one parent/guardian per household may stay to watch training sessions and games, to follow the outdoor gathering sizes and to maintain social distancing, and safe cleaning measures. Bringing other children is strongly discouraged.
6. Parents/guardians and any other spectators may be required to wear a mask for the full duration of their attendance to the games.

Participant Responsibility 

1. Obligated to not attend if they have any symptoms, are feeling ill, or have been in contact with someone who is ill.
2. Participants can bring a soccer bag in order to store clothing and outside shoes and should contain a Ziploc bag with their name on it which contains tissues, masks, closed mouthed water bottles, hand sanitizer, medication, and band aids for minor cuts (if required). No other personal items should be brought with them.
3. Participants will be reminded to take all personal disposable material belonging to them and dispose of them in the garbage at the field or home to be disposed of safely.
4. In order to ensure their own safety and the safety of others, the participant and their accompanied parent/caregiver must commit to accept and put into practice the physical/social distancing and all other safety protocols as a part of SYSI league participation.
5. No handshakes, hugs, etc. at any time.
6. No shared use of water bottles or other personal belongings.
7. No head or hand contact with the ball.
8. Goalkeepers must not at any time spit or use water from water bottles or use the water fountains to wet their gloves. Goalkeepers will be required to change their gloves immediately in any of these scenarios.
9. Goalkeeper gloves cannot be shared during a game or practice session, and, like the rest of the uniform MUST be washed in between each use. Keepers should sanitize their hands immediately before and after each use of goalkeeper gloves.
10. All participants must ensure that their training/playing clothes are washed immediately after each use (upon returning home).
11. Masks on the field and/or the sidelines maybe required but not yet determined.
12. As per SSA guidelines, although it is highly discouraged, players may partake in more than one mini league operating up to and including Phase 3 in SSA’s Return to Play Plan. Players and parents/caregivers must ensure that stringent safety practices are upheld by these participants.

We sincerely thank you for taking the time to read the above precautions and for doing your part in keeping our sport and community safe during these difficult times!

Sincerely,

Saskatoon Youth Soccer Inc.