Governor Tom Wolf and the Pennsylvania Department of Health released preliminary guidance on Wednesday for high school sports teams to begun voluntary workouts as well as for other sports to resume in-person activities within the state as counties reopen during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The expansive set of guidelines can be read here but is broadly an expansion on an already present emphasis of standards set by the CDC and state Department of Health. Testing, symptom recognition and continued efforts to avoid shared spaces and equipment are also areas of emphasis within the newly released standards.
“Pennsylvania has some of the best athletes and teams in the country and they can now begin to safely return to organized sports,” said Gov. Wolf. ‘This guidance balances keeping student athletes safe from COVID-19 while allowing them to participate in an important part of their lives.
“This is another step toward reopening our state and getting things back on track. As students and teammates get ready to train and compete, it’s important that they follow precautions to protect each other and their community from the risk of COVID-19.”
Wolf said the guidance is ‘a starting point for summer sports teams.’
K-12 schools under the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) and the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association (PISAA) in the yellow and green phase can resume voluntary sports-related workouts, but must first develop an athletic health and safety plan approved by the local board of directors.
As of now K-12 sports gatherings are limited to athletes, coaches, officials and staff.
‘The addition of visitors and spectators will be contingent upon future health conditions within the state and local communities,’ the guidance states.
Recreational and amateur sports teams in the green phase that are not affiliated with a K-12 school can hold in-person activities, including games and practices.
College sports can resume in-person activity with an athletic health and safety plan in place.
Professional sports can resume immediately. Pro teams or leagues in the yellow phase, or if more than 250 people are on site in the green phase, must have a COVID-19 safety plan approved by the Department of Health.
Currently gatherings — including participants and spectators — are limited to 250 people or 50 percent capacity in green phase counties and 25 people in yellow phase counties but the release notes: ‘This guidance is preliminary; as more public health information is available, the administration may work with impacted entities to release further guidance which could impact fall, winter, or spring seasons.
Regardless of actual crowd size, Wolf and the DOH have called for social distancing practices within seating areas, including bleachers for anyone not in the same household. Accordingly: ‘To assist with proper social distancing, areas should be clearly marked. Adults should wear face coverings (masks or face shields) at all times.’
The guidance goes on to elaborate on smaller details such as avoiding chewing gum, shared water sources and avoiding celebratory contact with fellow teammates and coaches during the game such as handshakes, fist bumps and high fives.
While the full document is linked above, general guidance for various forms of sport can be found bellow as written by the state.
For all cases: Sports-related gatherings must conform with the gathering limitations set forth by the Governor’s Plan for Phased Reopening (25 in yellow, 250 in green), and the facility as a whole may not exceed 50% of total occupancy otherwise permitted by law. Gatherings’ occupancy counts include student athletes, coaches, athletic staff, officials, spectators, site staff, and any other individuals on site during the event. All event attendees, except for the athletes and coaching staff, are expected to maintain social distancing when arriving, attending, and departing the facility.
Guidance is likely to be updated for fall and winter sports.
Professional Sports
- Yellow Phase: Professional sports teams may practice and play provided the team has a COVID-19 safety plan approved by Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH). The plan must include, at minimum, a process for testing or screening for COVID-19, and monitoring all on-premises attendees. In the Yellow phase, no fans or spectators are allowed in or directly outside of the site or venue.
- Green Phase: Professional sports organizations are permitted to practice or play on site with fewer than 250 people. The sports organization is not required to submit a safety plan for approval to DOH if fewer than 250 people are present on site or directly outside of the site. Professional sports organizations in counties designated in the Green phase that want to play or practice with more than 250 people on site or directly outside of the site must submit a plan to DOH for approval.
Collegiate Sports
- All collegiate sports sanctioned by the NCAA as well as intramural and club sports, may resume in-person activities in counties designated in the Yellow and Green phases. Colleges must develop and post online an Athletic Health and Safety Plan for resuming sporting activities.
- All sports-related gatherings must conform with the limitations in the state’s phased reopening plan (25 in yellow, 250 in green), and the facility as a whole may not exceed 50% of total occupancy otherwise permitted by law.
Pre-K to 12 School Sports
- Pre-K to 12 (PK-12) school sports are permitted to resume in counties designated in the Yellow and Green phases. The decision to resume sports-related activities, including conditioning, practices and games, is the discretion of a school entity’s governing body.
- Each school entity must develop and adopt an Athletics Health and Safety Plan aligned with the plan for reopening schools.
- All sports-related gatherings must conform with the limitations in the state’s phased reopening plan (25 in yellow, 250 in green), and the facility as a whole may not exceed 50% of total occupancy otherwise permitted by law. During the Yellow and Green phases of reopening, sports-related activities at the PK-12 level are limited to student athletes, coaches, officials, and staff only. The addition of visitors and spectators will be contingent upon future health conditions within the state and local communities
Recreational and Amateur Sports
- Recreational and amateur sports organizations and teams, including, but not limited to, basketball, hockey, field hockey, football, soccer, swimming, baseball, softball, lacrosse, gymnastics, and kickball, are permitted to conduct in-person activities, including games and practices, in counties designated as being in the Green phase only if they strictly adhere to the requirements of the guidance, including the limits on total occupancy. Youth sports, should follow CDC guidance.
