Sports Guidelines Fall 2020

BVT Athletics

Blackstone Valley Tech’s mission, during this unprecedented time is to thoughtfully provide our student athletes a competitive and safe environment to participate in athletics.

We recognize that these are challenging times and understand the need for all me to members of our school community to work together as a team to ensure the successful reopening of our schools.

Sports play a vital role in the health and well-being of our student-athletes and positively address many of our students' social and emotional needs.

In addition, athletics has been a vibrant and important part of our students’ experience at our school. It is our hope that many of these adjustments area a one-year solution and we all remain flexible to create an opportunity to put our students back onto the playing fields, tracks, and courts.

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Mission & Philosophy

MIAA Seasons for 2020 - 2021

BVT Athletics

The MIAA has laid out a 4 season plan for the school year with a “Floating Fall 2

season” that will take place between the traditional winter and spring seasons.

This Fall 2 season is an opportunity to move sports that are deemed unsafe to

play this fall. The dates for the proposed seasons are:

● Fall 1: September 18, 2020 - November 20, 2020

● Winter: November 30, 2020 - February 21, 2021

● Fall 2: February 22, 2021 - April 25, 2021

● Spring: April 26, 2021 – July 3, 2021

Sport Season

Soccer Played with Modifications in Fall 1

Field Hockey Played with Modifications in Fall 1

Cross Country Played with Modifications in Fall 1

Boys Golf Played with Modifications in Fall 1

Football Moved to Fall 2

Cheer Moved to Fall 2

Girls Volleyball Moved to Fall 2

Fall 1 Season - September 18 to November 20

Central Mass POD 1 Blackstone-Millville, Grafton, Hopedale, Nipmuc,

Northbridge, Whitinsville Christian & BVT

SportsGirls Soccer – Varsity, Junior Varsity & Freshmen

Boys Soccer – Varsity & Junior Varsity (Freshmen - ?)Field Hockey – Varsity & Junior VarsityCross Country – Varsity & Intramural

Golf – Varsity & Junior Varsity

What will sports look like?

BVT Athletics

▪ Players will be assigned Practice COHORTs of 5-10 players – the same COHORT all season.▪ COHORTs will practice no less than 14’ away from each another COHORT.▪ Practices will be 90 minutes in length.▪ Teams will not exceed a combination of 5 practices and/or contests in one week.▪ Players will be assigned area for person items 6’ away from other players.▪ There will be no team benches for practices or games, chairs will be available and spaced

6’ from each other.▪ Locker rooms will NOT be available – students in school will change in shop locker.▪ All other students should come to prepared for practice or games. Building will lock daily

at 2:15pm. ▪ Bathroom facilities will be available using the outside entrance to the football/lacrosse

bathrooms.

Practices

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▪ Masks – players must wear masks at all times unless on a mask break or at least 10’ from another player while on the field.

▪ Player Habits – breaking habits of spitting, licking hands/gloves, touching the balls – use feet.▪ Hydration – students should bring their water/water bottles. There are no refill stations outside.

Preparing for Practices

Student’s Gym Bag for Practices & Games

Everything inside the gym bag must be disinfected after every practice and before return to school/practice again. Be sure to spray the inside and the outside of the bag as well.

Reusable facial covering(s)/mask(s). A minimum of 2 – 3 masks.

Warm-up clothing, electronic devices, and other personal items that are used by the athlete, must be placed back in the gym bag before practice/competition begins.

Athletes are recommended to always have a personal bottle of hand sanitizer available and disinfectant wipes for personal use.

Additional shoes should also be stored in a separate compartment or bag inside a gym bag to prevent possible cross contamination with other items in the gym bag.

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Players and Games

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▪ Players/Athletes must wear masks. Mask breaks are only allowable on the field and running when at least 10’ from another player.

▪ Uniforms, socks and masks must be washed after every game.

▪ Players – transportation options for games:- BVT will provide bus transportation to and from games.- Players will be allowed to drive to game with written permission from

parent. - Players will not be allowed to drive other members of the team

other than siblings. No exceptions.- Players will be allowed to travel to and from games with their own

parents.

▪ Dates and times of games are subject to change. ▪ Central Mass has determined that only ONE member of the athlete’s

immediate family will be eligible to attend a game. This applies to both home and away games.

▪ Spectators will be required to wear a lanyard with the family pass. These passes will be issued to the player before the first game and will be required to be passed in at the end of the season.

▪ Spectators will be required to social distance and wear masks at all time while on BVT property and at all POD locations.

▪ Please do not touch the balls, flags, cones or other field equipment.

Spectators at Games

BVT Athletics

BVT Athletics

▪ Signs at all gates and fields

▪ Playing surfaces with hash marks indicating spacing from the fields

▪ COVID-19 Game Administrator

What to expect

at Games?

▪ BVT will be playing in a local POD of Blackstone-Millville, Grafton, Hopedale, Nipmuc, Northbridge, and Whitinsville Christian.

▪ Same school in the same week - to limit contact .▪ Teams will play one home and one away vs. the same school in the same

week.▪ The seasons will average 10-12 games. ▪ Schedules are now posted on the BVT Athletic website under Teams &

Schedules.▪ Expect schedules to change and often as conditions of teams, timing of

busing and availability of fields will be in a constant state of flux.

Schedules

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PROS

• Geographic proximity of each pod allows for special transportation issues to be resolved with limited budget implications and limits buses needed.

• Schools would limit their competitions to one school per week (multiple competitions possible) to limit exposure and facilitate contact tracing should the need arise.

CONS

• Traditional rivalries may be on hold for the year.

• No playing outside of pod.

• No traditional league championships.

• No MIAA postseason tournaments.

• Competitive balance not considered.

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It is important to remember that all of this makes it possible

to have our students playing the sports they love.

▪ Self Screening responsibility – each coach and player needs to self monitor every day.▪ Fevers – students can not return to school or practice until 24 hour fever free without medicine.▪ Fever & Symptoms – in addition to the above, must contact their Primary Care Physician▪ Positive Case – self isolate, test and can return once cleared with doctor’s note. Return with conditions of return to play.▪ Once confirmed positive cases are report to the local Board of Public Health & the opposing school.▪ DPH handles the contact tracing protocols.

In athletics, close contact is defined by:- Athlete in the same COHORT- Been within 6 feet for longer than 15 minutes- Been in direct contact without a mask

Covid-19 Protocols

BVT Athletics

▪ Completed Online Registration via FamilyID.

▪ Handed in an updated physical to Athletic Trainer or Nurse’s Office.- Telehealth physicals do not meet this requirement.- Options for physicals.

▪ Once your student is named to a team, please pay your athletic fee before the first contest. $50.00 per athlete, per season.

▪ Once your student is named to a team, complete the Impact Concussion pre-screening process. Athletic Trainer will schedule this with each team.

Athletic Eligibility – All Seasons

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▪ Each team will be issued a Remind Code to contact Molly to make an appointment.

▪ Emergencies will still be handled as in the past, Molly will report directly to the field

▪ No more than 2 athletes in the Training Room at the same time.

▪ Athletes will be required to sanitize their hands & wear a mask while in the trainer’s room.

▪ Athletes will be required to sign in and out of the trainer’s room.

▪ Training tables/benches will be sanitized before and after an athlete uses it.

Athletic Trainer & Training Room

BVT Athletics

Girls Soccer – Friday, Saturday & Sunday

Boys Soccer – Saturday, Sunday & Monday

Field Hockey – Friday, Saturday & Sunday

Cross Country – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

Golf – Monday thru Thursday

Tryout Schedule

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Schedule is listed on the BVT website on the Athletic Webpage for Fall Sports Tryouts

Tryout & Practice Schedule

Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues

18 19 20 21 22

Vars Field Hockey FH 3:30-5:00 FH 9:30-11:00 FH 9:30-11:00 FH 3:30-5:00 FH 3:30-5:00

JV Field Hockey FH 3:30-5:00 FH 9:30-11:00 FH 9:30-11:00 FH 3:30-5:00 FH 3:30-5:00

Var Boys Soccer none FF 1:00-2:30 FF 1:00-2:30 FF 4:00-5:30 FF 2:30-4:00

JV Boys Soccer none FF 1:00-2:30 FF 1:00-2:30 FF 4:00-5:30 FF 2:30-4:00

Fr Boys Soccer none FF 1:00-2:30 FF 1:00-2:30 FF 4:00-5:30 FF 2:30-4:00

Var Girls Soccer FF 4:30-6:00 FF 8:00-9:30 FF 10:30-12:00 TBA TBA

JV Girls Soccer FF 4:30-6:00 FF 8:00-9:30 FF 10:30-12:00 TBA TBA

Fr Girls Soccer FF 4:30-6:00 FF 8:00-9:30 FF 10:30-12:00 TBA TBA

Cross Country none none none Seniors & Sophomores

Juniors & Freshmen

Golf none none noneSeniors &

SophomoresJuniors &

Sophomores

FF-Front Field FH Field Hockey

▪ Late Buses – Transportation Survey

▪ Senior Recognition Games

▪ Homecoming

▪ Team Pictures

▪ Award Ceremonies

Questions & Answers

Miscellaneous Items

BVT Athletics

Director of Student Life - Michele Denise

Interim Athletic Director - Jeanette Finnell

Athletic Trainer – Molly Awiszus

Emails & Phone numbers are listed on the BVT Athletic Webpage

Who to Contact

BVT Athletics

Ms. Finnell & Ms. AwiszusBVT Covid-19 Task Force

Our School Nurses – Ms. Pichel & Mrs. DunhamFacilities Department

BVT School Committee & AdministrationOur POD Schools

Many Thanks to our BVT Community

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