Safely Resume Playing Youth Sports

There is no one-size-fits all way to resume, as the risks of Covid-19 transmission vary from region-to-region and sport-to-sport. Youth leagues should follow local public health and government guidelines and parents should seek the advice of a medical professional before allowing their child to return to a sport.

• Phase-in team practices, first focusing on ways individuals can practice skills six feet apart from other players with minimal touching of shared equipment.
• Dr. Rishi Desai, a pediatric infectious disease specialist and chief medical officer at online medical educator Osmosis, recommends practicing outside with fewer than 10 kids who are old enough to wash their hands alone and understand social distancing. Young children who need to be constantly reminded to follow safety rules should not yet return to team sports.
• Athletes should wear a mask while playing whenever possible, though not if it obstructs breathing.
• The safest sports are those that have a strong individual component, take place outside, can be done wearing a mask, and don’t involve much equipment, such as track and field, according to Desai.
• Sports with shared equipment are at higher risk for virus spread. The main concern with sharing an object like a ball is that an athlete could rub their mouth, nose or eyes before or after touching it, says Desai. Any equipment should be frequently cleaned.
• Avoid indoor sports, contact sports, and travel sports outside of a local municipality.
• Participating on a swim or dive team in a well-maintained pool that is constantly circulating is generally safe, since the virus isn’t known to spread in chlorinated water. Each team member should have their own towel and goggles. Water polo is not recommended since it is a contact sport involving a shared ball.
• Locker rooms at youth sports facilities should not be used. Public drinking fountains should be turned off.
• Coaches, officials, and volunteers should wear masks. Spectators should be limited, and those who attend should socially distance and wear masks.

• Half of parents are concerned their child will get sick by returning to sports, according to a survey by The Aspen Institute’s Project Play. Youth sports leagues should aim to exceed safety and social distancing guidelines, train coaching staff, and offer the lowest-risk forms of training including individual drills.
• Parents should review the youth sport league’s guidelines and protocols with their child’s pediatrician.
• Coaches should frequently communicate with parents and athletes about how practices will be run, what drills they will do, and expectations and goals for players.
• A recent survey of 37,000 student-athletes by the NCAA found that a majority reported experiencing high rates of mental distress since the outset of the pandemic. The top concern was a fear of exposure to Covid-19 (43%), followed by a lack of motivation (40%), feelings of stress or anxiety (21%), and sadness or depression (13%).
• Positive Coaching Alliance CEO Chris Moore says coaches must step back from being results-driven and prioritize supporting the emotional, social well-being of athletes. Focus on life skills so kids will be more coachable and productive.

Little League Baseball and Softball is implementing changes this season to protect players, coaches and spectators. “America’s pastime is going to look a lot different this year,” says Nina Johnson-Pitt, central region director, Little League International. “Above all we want parents and coaches to have patience especially with the kids as they figure this all out.”
Players are not required to wear masks on the field but the Little League encourages them to be worn when on the sidelines. Dugouts should have a tape mark or sign every six feet and assigned spots for players. They also banned sunflower seeds and gum in dugouts and mandated that coaches and players refrain from spitting. Bats, water bottles, and gloves must be kept outside in a designated spot for each player, and there is no sharing of any of these items. Coaches, umpires and players should all have their own hand sanitizer.
New ball rules are also in effect. Baseballs and softballs will be rotated on a regular basis and sanitized in between use. If one goes foul, the league wants catchers to retrieve them, not the umpire or fans in the stands. High-fives, piling on the home-run hitter at home plate, and the post-game handshake between teams are also not allowed.
Ripken Baseball, which hosts youth camps and tournaments, has closed all bleachers, picnic tables and other dining seating areas. Fans are asked to bring their own seating and to remain six feet apart.

Youth leagues should not be asking for signed commitments and payment from players ahead of state and local governments lifting restrictions on play, and local sports facilities implementing proper social distancing and safety protocols. Facilities that have not been deeply cleaned and sanitized should not be used. Coaches and officials who treat safety and social distancing protocols as optional should be reported to league offices.

While teamwork is important, the focus on individual skills could help players fine tune accuracy in scoring, throwing, hitting and other mechanics. This could also be a blessing in disguise for children with performance anxiety, since restrictions on the number of spectators may reduce the number of parents behaving badly and coaching from the stands.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinasettimi/2020/06/12/how-to-safely-resume-playing-youth-sports/#61e5780a1985