Dear Parents and Players:
To resume playing we have added some new safety procedures. While any activity like this will come with some risk it is our goal to decrease that risk with the following procedures. Our goal is to provide our players, coaches, and parents the safest environment possible. This will be a team effort with coaches, administrators, players, and parents all doing their part to keep the community as safe as possible. Here are some guidelines we have prepared to return to play, based on national, state, and local recommendations.
BEFORE PRACTICE: • If you have had any symptoms or been exposed to family members who have had symptoms, please stay home. While we understand you want to be back out on the pitch with your teammates, it is of utmost importance that you make sure to follow proper quarantine procedures. Additionally, we would ask that you please notify either myself, David, or Nick so that we may keep track of all players who may have symptoms or been exposed to a family member who has tested positive. • Please do not carpool. • Please bring your own water bottle and any other equipment that you may need. Do not share. • Please make sure to wash your hands prior to arriving to the pitch. We will also have hand sanitizer available as well. DURING PRACTICE:
• All Louisiana Rugby coaches will be wearing masks and masks are optional for the players – parents acting as coaches are encouraged to mask up as well. When coaches are addressing the group and talking without a mask they will be 6ft+ apart from participants. • Our two age groups will stay apart and not interact with each other – coaches working with one age group will stay with that age group • During warm-ups we encourage players to spread out and maintain distance from their teammates. • Avoid any unnecessary contact. Unfortunately, this includes high-fives or any other celebratory contact. While we all want to encourage our teammates and these gestures are normally encouraged, it is in all players’ best interest to avoid contact when possible. • During water breaks, make sure to use the hand sanitizer provided. • Again, do NOT share water bottles or any other equipment. AFTER PRACTICE: • Parents, we strongly encourage that you arrive at the practice sessions roughly 5-10 minutes before ending, so that players can be picked up and return home immediately after practice. • We all want to get back to playing rugby. We hope that these simple rules will allow us to return to play and minimize any risks of transmission • I want to also take this time to give a big thank you to all the players who have remained so patient since March waiting for our return to play. Without you, we would not have a future for Louisiana Rugby. We are so excited to see all of you soon!!