TRAVERSE BAY BLUES RUGBY

Men’s Club

COVID-19 Mitigation Plan

 

 

Dear Traverse Bay Blues, 

First and foremost, we hope that you and your loved ones are safe and healthy. We have received questions from the community about if and how COVID-19 will change this year’s athletic season. We know this outbreak has been stressful to many and recognize that exercising and participating in activities like sports can be a healthy way to cope with stress and connect with our community. After careful thought and planning, we are excited to let you know that we plan to resume youth sports while following Michigan Safe Start Plan restrictions, USA Rugby Return to Play Guidelines, Midwest Rugby Union Return to Play Handbook and CDC considerations to protect players, families, and our community.  

The health and safety of our athletes, staff, and volunteers remain our highest priority. Below, you will find a summary of actions we are taking to help ensure we are lowering COVID-19 risk as much as possible while also allowing our athletes to play. We are:

 

• Intensifying cleaning, disinfection, and ventilation within our facilities and premises by using fresh balls and equipment for each drill when possible, or disinfecting balls and equipment during practice if re-use is necessary during one practice. Balls and equipment will be washed and disinfected after each practice in preparation for use again. All equipment was disinfected when moved from Franke Road storage to Silver Lake Recreation Area storage. We are ensuring safe and correct use and storage of disinfectants within product and health directives.

• Reducing physical closeness or contact between players when possible: practice during Phase 5 of Michigan Safe Start Plan will have focus on Running, Kicking, Passing, Individual Skill/Fitness, with limited use of ruck pads. Inter-squad scrimmage with limited contact will be used a maximum of once weekly, touch for the first six weeks of practice and  tackle or touch thereafter; uncontested scrums, lineouts, and rucks will be used during this phase. Only once we are in Phase 6 of Michigan Safe Start Plan will we resume full contact, full phase practice. Drills will be structured to allow for 2 meters of distance between players not participating. Drills will be laid out prior to practice in such a way to minimize lingering in one area of the pitch. Unnecessary physical contact, such as high-fives, handshakes, fist bumps, and hugs is discouraged.

• Postponing travel outside of our community: Travel to play, scrimmage, or combined practice is suspended during Phase 5 of Michigan Safe Start Plan 5. Once we reach Phase 6 of Michigan Safe Start Plan, travel will be restricted only to locations and teams also within Michigan Phase 6 or the comparable community restrictions in the area of travel. Both of these travel restrictions apply to teams traveling to our location.

• Promoting healthy hygiene practices: Players and Players, coaches, staff, officials, and spectators should wash their hands thoroughly prior to and after practice or matches. Please cough and sneeze with a tissue or to use the inside of their elbow, do not spit while in attendance at practice or a match.

• Requesting that non-participating coaches, staff, officials, and spectators wear a cloth face covering during practices and games. Players may opt to wear a cloth face covering on the sidelines.  As a reminder, cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children younger than 2 years of age, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the cover without assistance.

• Limiting the sharing of equipment: team water bottles will no longer be provided on match day or at practice. Each player will be responsible for providing their own water during practices and matches.

 Attendance to practice during this time will be considered voluntary. Your attendance at a practice or a match will be considered an acknowledgement of the Covid-19 risks associated with your attendance and will indemnify the coaches, directors, or board members of the Traverse Bay Blues Rugby Men’s Club and the Grand Traverse Rugby Club.

Anyone who is sick or has been in contact with someone who has COVID-19— including players, family members, coaches, staff and spectators — should not attend practices or games. Be on the lookout for symptoms of COVID-19, which include fever, cough, or shortness of breath. Call your doctor if you think you or a family member is sick.

If someone does get sick during practice or at a game, we have plans in place to isolate and transport that person to their home or healthcare facility. If you have a specific question about this plan or COVID-19, please contact Glenn Hasenmyer,  for more information. You can also find more information about COVID-19 at www.cdc.gov.

We look forward to seeing you. Now, let’s play!

 

Thank you and stay healthy, 

Josh Benghauser