WYSL COVID-19 Guidelines

IMPORTANT: Any individual exposed to or demonstrating symptoms of the illness at any point should be removed
from competition (or restricted from competition) and should seek guidance from his or her healthcare provider before
returning to soccer activities. In general, you need to be in close contact with an individual to contract the disease.

In this case, exposure means any one of the following:

● Caring for a sick person with a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection.

● Living in the same household as an individual with a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection.

● Being within 6-feet of an individual with a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection for around 10 minutes or more OR 

● Coming in direct contact with secretions from an individual with a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection
(being coughed or sneezed on, sharing water bottle or utensils, for example)

Prior to participation, staff should obtain verbal confirmation from each participating player that:
● Each player, coach, and referee should check his/her temperature at home, and refrain from participation
if he or she has a fever (≥100.4 degrees F).

● Bring supplies to help you and others stay healthy—for example, masks (bring extra), hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

● If it is necessary to travel to the games or practices with non-family members please maximize physical distance
within the cars and wear masks. Consider keeping the windows open to maximize air circulation.

● Wait in the car or away from the playing area until just before the beginning of the warm-ups for your team.

● Avoid congregating in the parking lot or near the field before games.

● All coaches, players, referees, and other attendees should be monitoring for symptoms at home to ensure that:

● He/she has not had any close contact with a sick individual or anyone with a confirmed case of COVID-19;

● He/she has not had a documented case of COVID-19 in the last 14 days;

● He/she is not currently demonstrating or suffering from any ill symptoms.



Any individual who is unable to confirm these criteria should be restricted from
participation and contact both their club and their healthcare provider.

These criteria should be confirmed verbally on arrival as follows:

● Each participating player should confirm that they have met the above requirements of no known symptoms
or exposures with the lead coach of their team.

● The lead coach from each participating team should confirm with the lead coach of the opposing team that all participating
players and staff have met the above requirements of no known symptoms or exposures.

● All referees should confirm individually with both lead coaches that all referees have met the above requirements of no known symptoms or exposures.

● Any individual who is unable to confirm these criteria should be restricted from participation and contact their healthcare provider.

During Competition:

Soccer play can be conducted as normal with the following exceptions:

● Team pre-game and post-game handshakes should be avoided.

● Handshakes or contact in substitution should be avoided.

● Physical contact should be avoided during celebrations and post-game activities.

● Social distancing should be ensured between players and coaches on the sideline during play and during any individual
or group conversations throughout the competition (pre-game, half-time, post-game).

● No spitting.

● No player, coach, or spectator should violate social distancing guidelines with a
referee at any time.

● Referees should track player substitutions with their own notes.

● Use of masks or cloth facial coverings by staff and players on the sideline is
mandatory at all times.

● Players on the sideline or bench should remain socially distanced (6-feet apart)
including during pre-game, half-time, and post-game discussions.

● All attendees should always maintain social distancing guidelines during arrival and
departure from competition.

● Spectators should remain off the field, practice proper social distancing and utilize masks or
cloth facial coverings throughout the event in accordance with local and national guidelines.

● Spectators must stay 20 ft from sideline and centerline.

● In the event of an injury, staff may assess and facilitate management of the injured individual
in accordance with proper first aid management. Family members and any on-site healthcare
providers may participate in injury management as necessary, but others should maintain
proper social distance.


Post Competition:

● Clubs should have contact information for the lead staff member from each club that they
have competed against prior to departure from the facility. Ideally this should be a
designated staff member responsible for COVID-19 related matters within each club.

● Any individual with a confirmed case of COVID-19 should notify the league immediately.

● Any referee with a confirmed case of COVID-19 should notify any clubs and the league
involved in competitions worked by that individual within the last 14 days.

● Any club notified of a confirmed case of COVID-19 in a player, staff member, or referee
should notify any other organization involved in competition with that individual in the 14 days
prior to the diagnosis of COVID-19.

● Avoid congregating in the parking lot or near the field after games.

Equipment:

● Team areas should be separated from spectators and each other so that teams and
attendees will not touch the same surfaces (benches, for example).

● Shared surfaces, soccer balls, discs, and any other equipment should be disinfected before
and after each game.

● Training vests can be shared between team members, but this should be minimized or
eliminated if possible. Vests should be washed before and after each day of use.

● Players and referees should bring their own equipment (hand sanitizer, water bottle, towels,
etc.) that should not be shared between individuals.

● Equipment used by staff (cones, for example) should not be handled by players or other
attendees and should be disinfected after use.

● Shared “hydration stations” should be eliminated, and players and staff should bring their
own water or other hydration.

Facilities and Training Grounds:

● Member organizations and host facilities should have procedures in place for the
management of medical emergencies during any event, including but not limited to COVID-19.

● Hand sanitizer should be readily available at all training grounds and facilities. Each coach,
player and referee should have their own hand sanitizer. Players and coaches should
disinfect their hands prior to and immediately after every competition and after any contact
with a shared surface.

● All surfaces that individuals may contact when entering and leaving the facility (gates,
doorknobs, etc.) should be disinfected prior to, regularly during, and at the end of the event.
When possible, gates / doors should remain open to reduce contact with potentially
contaminated surfaces.

Return to Play Following Confirmed or Suspected COVID-19 Infection
These recommendations are intended to guide decision-making regarding players or staff with a
suspected of documented COVID-19 infection in order to reduce the risk of disease transmission.

Contact Tracing:

● If a club member tests positive for COVID-19 that member must notify the WYSL ([email protected])
within 24 hours and immediately cease attendance at any club-related activities.

● WYSL will report as required to state and local health departments. WYSL will assist in contact tracing efforts as directed
by those agencies and notifying those who may have been in direct contact with that individual.

● Confidentiality will be maintained to the greatest extent possible.

● If directed by state and local health agencies, the team or training group will be subject to an
immediate 14-day quarantine.

Symptomatic player / staff with suspected or laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 infection:

● Cannot attend club events until:
a. At least 3 days (72 hours) have passed since resolution of fever (defined as ≥100.4
degrees F) without the use of fever-reducing medications and respiratory symptoms
(e.g., cough, shortness of breath), AND

b. At least 14 days have passed since symptoms first appeared

OR:

a. Resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications, AND
b. Improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath), AND
c. Negative results of an FDA authorized molecular assay for detection of SARS-CoV-2
RNA from at least two consecutive respiratory specimens collected ≥24 hours apart (two negative specimens)

Player / staff with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 who have not had any symptoms:

● Cannot attend club events until:
a. 14 days after the date of their first positive COVID-19 diagnostic test assuming no
symptoms since that time. If symptoms develop symptoms, then management should
be guided as above for symptomatic individuals.

OR:

a. Negative results of an FDA authorized SARS-CoV-2 RNA test from at least two
consecutive respiratory specimens collected ≥24 hours apart (two negative specimens).

*Special thanks to ECNL and MSC for use of their resources and guidelines.