Hanover Soccer Tryouts Begin Tuesday
A week of tryouts and training for the four Hanover boys' teams begin Tuesday after school, and continues through Friday. Teams will be announced on Friday night. All players in all grades are invited to the opening session at the Dresden Fields in Norwich from 4:00- 5:30. All underclass players are asked to wear white or grey shirts. All seniors are asked to wear black. All players must bring a mask, and wear it until they are established on the sidelines. There will be marks on the sidelines six feet apart, designating appropriate locations for players. Players must wear masks both to and from practice. Players who have been remote during the day must identify themselves and have temperature taken. (Please e-mail Coach Grabill if you are remote or home schooled, so we can be looking for you). Additional guidelines will be explained before the start of practice. All players are responsible for their transportation to practice. Carpooling is not allowed by the SAU.
Juniors and Seniors are invited to a second session on the HHS Turf from 7:45 - 9:15. All safety policies are identical at all practice locations, and will be strictly enforced.
For the rest of the week, players will be assigned to tryout groups. Groups 3 and 4 will train Wednesday at 4:00 at Dresden. Most freshmen and sophomores, and several juniors, will be assigned to these groups. Please check the Blog daily for training group updates and changes in the practice schedule.
Our bottom line for tryouts will be establishing and maintaining safe player protocols. We will ask players to adhere carefully to these, and contact parents when this is not the case. As is the case with student behavior during the school day, it takes an entire school community working together to make this work.
Please continue to stay in touch vis email with questions or concerns.
Below, for reference, are the Hanover High Protocols:
Hanover High School
FALL 2020 ATHLETICS PROTOCOLS
COVID-19
The following requirements are mandated for the implementation of all athletic activities at Hanover High School, varsity and sub-varsity, during the Fall 2020. These mandates are subject to change based on governmental, public, educational, and local health requirements.
The athletic director, and/or their designee, is responsible for ensuring these requirements and mandates are implemented and adhered to for all athletic activities. This includes practice, competition and other team activities.
General Information
● While there is no guarantee that playing sports under these conditions eliminates exposure to COVID-19, the protocols are put in place to limit the risk.
● Participants, coaches, managers or other team personnel are advised to stay home if they feel unwell or are showing any symptoms of COVID-19.
● Observe general good hygiene practices: Wash hands often. Avoid touching your face. Sneeze or cough into a tissue or the inside of your elbow.
● No shared personal equipment, such as water bottles, hats, helmets, bags, gloves, towels, etc.
● HHS expects all students to leave the building immediately after school so cleaning can begin. The gym side of the building will remain open until 6:00 p.m. for training room access, indoor restrooms, and gym use by volleyball. The athletic hallway will be open past 6:00 p.m. for coaches and students to access the training room when practices are in session.
● At HHS, porta potties will not be used this fall. Bathroom facilities located on the West side of the building near the JV grass field will be used for practices and games. These are the bathrooms attached to the locker rooms, but access will only be available from the outside. They will be unlocked and cleaned regularly for use before and during competitions.
● In the event of lightning, coaches and players can access the athletic hallway/gym in order to get indoors.
● The HHS weight room will remain closed at this time.
● Porta potties will be available at the Dresden Fields and will be cleaned and sanitized
according to COVID guidelines.
Hanover High School Fall Athletics Protocols/COVID Guidelines 1
Coach Education
● All coaches must complete a number of NHIAA certifications and requirements before coaching. In addition to these, coaches will complete an online course offered by the NFHS entitled COVID-19 for Coaches and Administrators. All coaches will be required to take this course and submit their completion certificate to the Athletics Director prior to the start of the September 8 practice.
Facial Coverings/Masks
● Masks will be worn upon arrival for all staff, volunteers, athletes, and officials and when moving to their designated field/playing area.
● Athletes in outdoor sports can remove masks when actively practicing and competing.
● All non-active participants (coaches, volunteers, managers, medical personnel, game
personnel and athletes) must wear a face covering throughout practice and
competition.
● All spectators (parents/guardians) attending a Hanover High School event will be
required to wear a face covering while around other spectators, staff, volunteers, and athletes. Physical distancing will be enforced for players, coaches, game personnel and spectators.
● While wearing face coverings people need to be reminded that not to touch their eyes, noses, mouths, or faces, or adjust their covering without first sanitizing hands.
Physical Distancing
● Practices will be restricted to essential personnel only (coaches, volunteers, managers, and athletic trainer) and all will be responsible for enforcing 6 foot distancing between athletes and personnel whenever possible.
● Appropriate physical distancing (minimum 6 feet) will be maintained on all areas used for practice and competition including benches and sidelines. They will stand at least 6 feet apart when not participating in a drill or activity that requires closer contact, and should avoid confined areas such as tents and dugouts if physical distancing cannot occur.
● After reaching the field/playing area, all equipment should be placed 6 feet apart including any specific sporting equipment, water bottles, personal bags, etc.
● No handshakes, high-fives, fist bumps, or elbow bumps including before or after competitions.
● Water bottles (every athlete is responsible for bringing their own) will be placed a minimum of 6 feet apart so that physical distancing can occur during breaks and cross contamination is avoided.
● At practices, during play and water breaks, athletes will be kept together in small groups Hanover High School Fall Athletics Protocols/COVID Guidelines 2
with dedicated coaches or staff when possible, making sure that each group of athletes
and coaches avoid mixing with other groups as much as possible.
● In all common areas, seating or standing must be spaced at least six feet apart.
● When possible use separate entrances and exits for participants, essential workers,
officials, media, etc.
● At the conclusion of the event, all participants, coaches, spectators, and essential
workers must leave the facility immediately.
Daily Screening and Attendance
● Coaches will keep accurate attendance records of athletes and staff who attend each practice in case contact tracing is needed. Coaches will have access to the COVID-19 Practice/Game Screening and Attendance sheet in the Shared Google Folder (Fall .
● Coaches are responsible for completing pre-screen questions for all staff, student-athletes, volunteers, and officials (when applicable) upon arrival to each competitive event, training session, or practice:
○ In the last 3 days have you...had any of the following new or worsening symptoms?
Fever (100.4 F or higher)
Cough/congestion/runny nose
Loss of taste or smell
Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing
Sore throat
Nausea/vomiting/diarrhea
○ In the past 2 weeks have you had close contact with someone who has a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19?
○ Have you travelled internationally, on a cruise ship, or outside of NH, VT, ME, MA, CT, or RI?
● At the beginning of each school day, students will be temperature checked by the scanner as they enter HHS. On those school days, coaches will not need re-take temperatures of players before practice unless they are remote or home school students. Those players will need to be checked everyday. Additionally, on Wednesdays because all HHS students are remote all temperatures will need to be checked prior to practice.
● Prior to departing for any away competition, all players will have their temperatures taken prior to departure by the athletic trainer or coach. If not using school transportation, they will need to check in with the athletic trainer or coach for their temperature check before departure.
● Positive Screening:
○ A positive screening is anyone who answers yes to any of the questions listed
above i.e. if an individual (student, manager, coach) has COVID-19 symptoms,
Hanover High School Fall Athletics Protocols/COVID Guidelines 3
those who report that in the past 14 days they have had close contact with someone suspected or confirmed with COVID-19, or report specific risk factors will not be allowed into the sporting event, competition, game, and/or practice, and:
○ Symptomatic people will be instructed to contact their healthcare provider and self-isolate (You must stay at your home and isolate from other people, including those you live with. You may not go out in public places - not even to the grocery store or to run other errands. You also may not visit with other people outside of your home, and you may not invite others into your house to visit) at home.
○ Asymptomatic persons who report that they have had close contact with someone suspected or confirmed with COVID-19, or who reports one of the travel risks should self-quarantine for 14 days from last exposure or travel.
Before and After Practices/Competitions
● At the conclusion of the event, all participants, coaches, spectators, and essential workers must leave the facility immediately.
● No congregating before or after practice or games in parking lots.
● Parents and spectators will not be allowed on the field or school ground for practices
outside of dropping off and picking up their son/daughter.
● Parents cannot enter the field area during practice times and must remain in their cars.
● It is advised that all athletes and coaches shower as soon as possible after each practice
or game.
Game Regulations
● For home games played outdoors, each HHS student-athlete will be allowed admittance of 4 immediate family members. All spectators not in the same family must remain 6 feet apart. This policy will be reviewed on a continuing basis and revised as needed.
● There will be no student sections and all spectators will be required to wear masks while on school grounds.
● No fans will be allowed at indoor sporting events at this time (as of 9/6/20). This will be revisited with school administration to perhaps allow limited fans at volleyball.
● No concessions or gathering near fields or parking lots.
● Team benches will be set up so that athletes can physically distance and masks will be
worn by any athlete not in the game.
● The scoring table will be set up to allow for physical distancing of all workers. Scorers
will be required to wear masks. Only necessary personnel will be allowed at the scoring
table.
● Pre and post game ceremonies - Handshakes will be eliminated before and after
competitions. If there is an anthem or pre-game ceremony, athletes will remain at their
Hanover High School Fall Athletics Protocols/COVID Guidelines 4
benches observing physical distancing until completed.
● All visiting teams are responsible for bringing their own equipment for warmups.
● All visiting teams are expected to be screened by their respective schools prior to
traveling to any Hanover High School event.
● Locker rooms will not be available to any athletes, home or away.
● Bathrooms facilities are located on the West side of the building near the JV grass field.
These are the bathrooms attached to the locker rooms, but access will only be available from the outside. They will be unlocked and cleaned regularly for use before and during competitions.
● For away games, schools may have policies for limited or no spectators. Those policies will be communicated to coaches before away games.
Athletic Training
● The athletic training room (ATR) will be available for use before practice and games under these guidelines:
○ No more than 4 people in the ATR at one time.
○ Masks must be worn and hand sanitizer is to be used upon entering the ATR.
● If an athlete is injured on the field during practice or competition the athletic trainer will
tend to the injured athlete and will wear a mask. Depending on the nature of the injury, the athlete will be asked to put on a mask while being treated.
Sanitizing Equipment
● Use of alcohol-based sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. This will be made readily available to staff, volunteers, and athletes and will be kept with staff and equipment at all times.
● Shared team equipment will be sanitized throughout activity using designated cleaner and at the end of each session.
● There will be no shared personal equipment, such as water bottles, hats, helmets, bags, gloves, towels, etc.
Disinfecting Equipment
● All sport equipment will be disinfected once a week by the athletic trainer.
● The use of disinfection products will be mandatory and in accordance with the
manufacturer’s recommendation for such equipment.
Transportation & Travel
● Hanover Athletics will adhere to transportation requirements set forth by the Dresden School District for transportation.
● All student-athletes will be screened using the pre-screen questions and temperatures Hanover High School Fall Athletics Protocols/COVID Guidelines 5
will be taken prior to departure for away games by the athletic trainer or coach.
● School buses will be provided for away travel when possible. Coaches will be expected
to establish a seating chart for all bus rides to assist in any contact tracing that may
become necessary.
● Best practices during COVID-19 recommend allowing parents to transport their child to
and from athletic events. This recommendation stems from the fact that physical distancing between students on a bus is difficult and thus increases the risk of viral spread. Transportation with the family member with whom the student has been living avoids that risk. Families will have the option to opt out from school transportation and travel to away competitions on their own (waiver available on FamilyID).
● Staff and volunteers should not transport any athletes that are not immediate family members. In the event of an emergency, all parties must wear cloth face coverings and space out seating to maintain maximal distance from each other.
Officials
● The Athletic Director or designee will contact officials at least 24 hours in advance with the specifics of the event and share COVID-19 information and protocols and remind them they should stay home if they are sick or showing any symptoms of COVID-19.
● Officials must be included on the Daily Symptom Tracker for that contest.
● Contest officials should come dressed to officiate. No locker rooms will be available.
● Although sanitizers will be provided at the site, encourage contest officials to bring their
own personal protective equipment, including hand sanitizer, towels, water, gloves, and
snacks.
● Officials will be paid through an electronic payment platform (Arbiterpay).
● When not actively officiating, contest officials must adhere to all proper personal
protective equipment (PPE) including face covering protocols and physical distancing
requirements.
● Contest officials must not share their personal equipment, such as towels, water, gloves,
masks, whistles, etc.
● It is recommended that an official use an electronic whistle to start and stop play.
Schedule Adjustments
● Schedule adjustments have been made to reduce travel, the number of events, duration, and/or participants present. Fall teams will move to a local/regional schedule in order to limit travel to an estimated regional radius of under 75 minutes of travel time. Football is restricted to travel within 60 minutes.
● Should an outbreak develop or positive testing occur within either a Hanover Athletic team or a scheduled opponent, the Athletics Director reserves the right to cancel a home or away contest or to cancel the season for a particular team should the need arise.
Hanover High School Fall Athletics Protocols/COVID Guidelines 6
Specific Sport Protocols
● These protocols specific to sport are in addition to the general guidelines as listed above.
● For more information on each sport protocols and adopted NFHS considerations for 2020-2021 please visit: http://nhiaa.org/sports/fall
Cross Country
1) Meets should use staggered, wave or interval starts.
2) When possible, coaches will create small workout groups with the same students
always training and rotating together in practices to limit exposures if someone develops symptoms.
Field Hockey
1) Players are required to wear a mask when not in the game.
2) No picking up the ball at any time. Coaches and players should only move the
ball with a stick.
3) The subbing area will be increased to be 6 feet from the 50-yard line on each
team's respective side.
4) Team benches will be set up so that athletes can physically distance and masks
will be worn by any athlete not in the game.
5) Essential personnel only. Scorers must stay with their bench, only the
designated timer would be allowed at the table.
Football
1) Team Box: The team box will be extended on both sides of the field to the 10-yard lines (for players only) in order for more physical distance for teams.
2) Physical distancing of 6 feet will be maintained at all times while in the team box.
3) Players are required to keep their helmet on when not in the game or wear a
mask if they take their helmet off.
4) Players will not share uniforms, towels, and other apparel and equipment.
5) The ball will be cleaned and sanitized throughout the game by a designated
game worker.
6) The ball holders should maintain physical distancing of 6 feet at all times during
the contest.
7) Plastic shields covering the entire face (unless integrated into the face mask,
attached to the helmet, and clear without the presence of any tint) are not permitted.
Hanover High School Fall Athletics Protocols/COVID Guidelines 7
8) Only the referee, umpire, and one coach from each team will be permitted at the coin toss.
Golf
1) When in foursomes 6 feet of distance must be maintained.
2) Golfers will not pick up a ball that does not belong to them.
3) The flagsticks will remain in the hole. Players should not use ball washers.
4) Players should not use rakes to smooth sand bunker shots. All players will have a
lift clean and place option if their ball comes to rest in a bunker. Players are required to bring their own beverages with them to the golf course. Players should not use water coolers on the course.
5) Players should not touch or handle other players’ equipment.
6) While face coverings are not mandated during play, all staff, volunteers, and
athletes should bring to training sessions and wear reusable/washable cloth face coverings over their nose and mouth when around others and not actively engaged in athletics and when physical distancing is not possible.
7) All athletes will receive their own scorecards and are expected to record scores for themselves as well as all other opponents in their group. At the end of the round, a verbal confirmation of individual scores should be made by all opponents. Once confirmed, the host school’s athlete will submit their card containing scores for all opponents in their group.
a) In lieu of a signed attest to the scorecard, a verbal confirmation of scores should also be made by all athletes to the host coach.
8) All additional guidelines by the host course will be strictly adhered to.
Soccer
1) The NHIAA mouthguard requirement is suspended for the 2020 season only. Coaches should remind student-athletes who wear mouthguards to leave them in as much as possible to protect their safety and that of others.
2) Cloth face coverings are permissible during competition.
3) Players are required to wear a face covering when not in the game.
4) Gloves are permissible to wear during play.
5) The pre-game conference will be limited to the head referee/center referee, the
head coach from each team, and one captain from each team. Location of the conference will be at the center of the field and all individuals will maintain a physical distance of 6 feet.
6) The scoring table will be limited to essential personnel (home team scorer and timer) with a maintained physical distance of 6 feet. Any visiting team personnel (scorer, statisticians, etc.) must find a safe, alternative location.
Hanover High School Fall Athletics Protocols/COVID Guidelines 8
7) Team benches will be set up so that athletes can physically distance and masks will be worn by any athlete not in the game.
8) Each team presenting substitutes shall send at least one to the center line. Additional substitutes will be allowed to enter from the team bench area with the referee’s permission. The subs at the center line will maintain physical distancing of 6 feet.
9) 4-5 sanitized game balls will be on hand at each game. These will be the only balls permitted to enter play. They will be cleaned by a sideline ball person.
10) A maximum of two sideline ball people (one each sideline) will be permitted.
Volleyball
1) Players are required to wear masks anytime other than when they are actively playing in an indoor match.
2) Athletes will be required to sanitize their hands upon arrival to the gym for both practices and games.
3) The pre-match conference will take place at center court with one coach and one official positioned on each side of the net. All individuals will maintain a physical distance of 6 feet.
4) The coin toss will not be used to determine serve/receive. The visiting team will serve set 1 and alternate first serve for the remaining non-deciding sets.
5) Rosters will not be submitted at the pre-match conference, but will be submitted directly to the scoring table.
6) Limit bench personnel to observe distancing of 3 to 6 feet.
7) Teams will not switch benches between sets.
8) The ball will be cleaned and/or replaced at timeouts or whenever stoppage
occurs by a designated person. A minimum of 4 game balls will be available to be
rotated into a game.
9) Maintain physical distance of 3 to 6 feet between the second referee and the
player and substitute by encouraging substitutions to occur within the
substitution zone closer to the attack line.
10) The scorers table will 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 will need to find an alternative location.
11) No group celebrations, handshakes, hugging, or fist bumps during any point before, during, or after competition.
Hanover High School Fall Athletics Protocols/COVID Guidelines 9
Hanover High School Fall Athletics Protocols/COVID Guidelines 10
Comments
Post a Comment