As the William S. Hart Union High School District’s underclassmen made final preparations Thursday for their return to the field Friday, officials offered information about the safest ways that adults can attend their competitions, based on Los Angeles County’s current tier for COVID-19 restrictions.
The first sporting events of the spring semester will be frosh/soph and junior varsity boys and girls soccer Friday, according to a statement issued by Dave Caldwell, spokesman for the Hart Union district.
The rules the district must follow are spelled out by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, which cover who’s allowed to attend and guidelines that must be followed for the safest experience possible.
“The protocol specifies that the only observers allowed to be in attendance at any league sporting event are from the competing athlete’s immediate household for ‘age-appropriate supervision,’” according to Caldwell’s statement, which cited county protocols. “‘Everyone entering the athletic facility will be required to be screened for COVID-19, which includes a survey and having your temperature taken. In addition, each household must be separated by 6 feet, wear masks and ‘refrain from shouting, singing, or chanting.’”
For the soccer games that begin Friday, each athlete is allowed to submit six family members for an entry list, from which two people can attend, after they’re cleared for entry. No children will be allowed on the list as they would not be attending for supervisory purposes.
California health officials have also set guidelines limiting the percentage of occupancy on a school campus, and with respect to an indoor gymnasium. The guideline referenced in the district alert noted that this limits each crowd to two observers per student-athlete per game.
Student, parent and staff safety is also the primary concern for district administrators, as they’ve spent countless hours with coaches to try to condense three seasons into one for the spring semester.
“It is with that spirit that we extend as much as we can within the limitations and challenges we have been presented,” said Mariane Doyle, Hart district director of human resources, equity services and athletics. “We are grateful for the understanding of parents and the community as we continue to do our best to serve the students, and we will continue to monitor county and state guidance on observers and capacity limits.”
The L.A. County Department of Public Health has issued guidance on youth sports found at: bit.ly/YouthSportsProtocols.
