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WEST HARTFORD YOUTH HOCKEY ASSOCIATION
2020/2021 COVID GUIDELINES FOR PARENTS AND PLAYERS
In an effort to ensure the safety of all WHYHA participants this season, we are enacting the following COVID GUIDELINES for the 2020/2021 hockey season. We ask all parents to review these guidelines with their players and family to ensure that all participants and families are fully compliant. By doing so, we all can do our part to maximize the safety of all WHYHA families while also increasing the chances for as normal and uninterrupted of a season as possible. However, safety comes first.
§ All players and families must:
o Abide by current WHYHA requirement for all players, coaches and families to wear masks while off ice when inside Vets and other WHYHA-utilized rinks;
o Abide by current WHYHA requirements around dressing and undressing, locker room and bench logistics, and other requirements;
o Abide by CDC, federal authority, state authority, local authority, USA Hockey, Connecticut Hockey Conference and West Hartford Youth Hockey Association rules, requirements and best practices around COVID and other infectious disease including social distancing, mask wearing, personal hygiene, hand washing and self-reporting of any symptoms or illness;
o Abide by all rules at all ice rink facilities, home or away, game or practice;
o Abide by their coaches best practices and suggestions;
Failure to abide by any of these will be subject to the family or player being asked to suspend all WHYHA activity until further notice at the discretion of the player’s coach and the WHYHA Executive Board.
§ The following guidelines must be followed:
o If a player (or coach) has a fever and doesn’t feel well they should NOT attend any team activity. Parents (or coach) should notify their coach (or fellow coaches) immediately.
o If a player (or coach) tests positive for COVID, parents (or coach) should notify their coach (or fellow coaches) immediately and the coach should immediately notify the WHYHA Executive Board and WHYHA Risk Manager. The infected player (or coach) must suspend all WHYHA activity for 10 days and can only return to activity (a) 10 days following the positive test if (b) they exhibit no symptoms within 24 hours of their return and (c) they are cleared by the WHYHA Executive Board and WHYHA Risk Manager. The team will cease all WHYHA activity immediately and all team families will be notified as soon as possible regarding the positive test. The Executive Board and Coach will assess next steps (including the potential for wider communication to other teams) based on recent team activity, recent participation of the infected player (or coach), etc. For example, (1) if the infected player (or coach) has not been around the team for the 10 days prior to testing positive, it might be decided that team activity may be resumed; (2) if the infected player (or coach) participated in games and practices in the days leading up to a positive test, team activity will be suspended and other teams participating in those practices and games will be notified and further appropriate actions will be reviewed by the Executive Board.
o If a family member of a player (or coach) tests positive for COVID, parents (or coach) should notify their coach (or fellow coaches) immediately and the coach should immediately notify the WHYHA Executive Board and WHYHA Risk Manager. The quarantined player (or coach) must suspend all WHYHA activity for 7 days and can only return to activity (a) 7 days following the quarantine if (b) they exhibit no symptoms during their 7 day quarantine and (c) they have a negative test after day 5 of quarantine. The team will cease all WHYHA activity immediately and all team families will be notified as soon as possible regarding the positive test. The Executive Board and Coach will assess next steps (including the potential for wider communication to other teams) based on recent team activity, recent participation of the infected family member and connected player (or coach), etc. For example, (1) if the infected family member and the connected player (or coach) has not been around the team for the 7 days prior to testing positive, it might be decided that team activity may be resumed; (2) if the infected family member and connected player (or coach) participated in games and practices in the days leading up to a positive test, team activity will be suspended and other teams participating in those practices and games will be notified and further appropriate actions will be reviewed by the Executive Board.
o If a player or coach is quarantined for any other close contact, parents (or coach) should notify their coach (or fellow coaches) immediately and the coach should immediately notify the WHYHA Executive Board and WHYHA Risk Manager. The quarantined player (or coach) must suspend all WHYHA activity for 7 days and can only return to activity (a) 7 days following the quarantine if (b) they exhibit no symptoms during their 7 day quarantine and (c) they have a negative test after day 5 of quarantine.
In all cases where a player, coach or family member tests positive or is quarantined for close contact, the WHYHA Executive Board and the team coach will use reasonable standards to take the appropriate steps to safeguard the rest of the team, the league, our opponents and all families involved. We will look to the CDC and state and local authorities for the best thinking around duration of suspension of activity.
§ External Interactions:
o WHYHA will work with the operators of our ice rink facilities to encourage them to notify WHYHA of any positive COVID tests within other rink participants or within rink employees. If we become aware, we will notify the impacted teams and advise of appropriate next steps.
o WHYHA will do our best to encourage our opponents and the management of other ice rink facilities to notify WHYHA of any positive COVID tests within their hockey teams/families that could have impacted one of our teams. If we become aware, we will notify the impacted teams and advise of appropriate next steps. However, we cannot control what other hockey associations or rink facilities do. Our early indications are that other hockey associations and other ice rink facilities have a wide range of COVID-related safeguards and diligence.
COVID PLAYER/PARENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I am aware of the potential spread of COVID that could result in severe illness and potential death. Therefore, I will, to the best of my ability, practice proper social distancing at play and outside of play as recommended by CDC and state health department directives, as well as practice good hygiene (hand washing, use of hand sanitizer, wearing of a mask when required, etc.) and follow other health recommendations and policies instituted by USA Hockey and West Hartford Youth Hockey Association.
Should my player or any member of my family become ill, or experience any of the symptoms associated with COVID (cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell), I promise to self-report the illness and notify WHYHA as soon as possible.
I will adhere to health guidelines recommended by my health care provider. Finally, if my player or any member of my family is exposed, or suspected to be exposed, to COVID, we will self-quarantine, notify WHYHA as soon as possible and will honor the WHYHA Executive Board’s decision regarding return to WHYHA activity.
I understand that WHYHA and its Executive Board will take reasonable steps to manage through the COVID impacts to the WHYHA season and agree to hold them harmless for any decisions they make. Should I have any concerns regarding any of the above, WHYHA’s policies related to COVID, or the safety precautions WHYHA is taking concerning COVID, I will report those concerns to the WHYHA Executive Board.
