Fall Interschool Athletics | York Region District School Board

After consultation with York Region Public Health, and recognizing the importance that extra-curricular activities provide students in support of their physical and mental health, our schools will have the opportunity to offer inter-school athletics commencing in September. In doing so, we are following the directions from the Ministry of Education as well as the guidance from York Region Public Health, to ensure the safety and well-being of our students and staff.

The guidelines for the permitted fall intra-mural/intra-school athletics are based on:

the fact that they involve students from multiple cohorts
conditions for indoor and and outdoor, full game play and individual skill drill/practicing
conditions for low contact sports (limited/intermittent proximity/contact) and high contact sports (routine close proximity)

The guidelines outline the regularly scheduled fall inter-school sports, for elementary and secondary and identify the sports that may proceed with full game play/competition and those restricted to modified individual skill practice. Additional requirements for coaches, players and spectators are also included.

Inter-school Athletics and Intra-school Intramurals

(multi-cohort, extra-curricular)

Fall - 2021-2022: Based on current conditions and guidance from York Region Public Health, effective Sept 3, 2021; to be reviewed as required as per emerging conditions.

Key Guiding Principles

Inter/Intra-school athletics involves multiple cohorts
The guidelines for permitted fall intra-mural/intra-school athletics are based on the following conditions:

Indoor vs outdoor
Full game play vs individual skill drill/practicing
High contact (routine close proximity) vs low contact (Limited/intermittent proximity/contact)

Indoor Sports:

Masks are required at all times
Low contact sports full games and individual skill drill/practicing may take place
High contact sports full games are not permitted, individual skill drill/practicing are permitted

Outdoor Sports:

Low contact sports full games and individual skill drill/practicing are permitted outdoors and masks are not required during the competition/game
High contact sports full games and individual skill drill/practicing are only permitted outdoors and masks are required at all times

Coaches/Player/Spectator Expectations:

	Outdoors	Indoors
Athletes	High Contact: Masks must be worn at all times. Low Contact: Masks must be worn when not actively participating (eg. on side-lines) as well as prior to, and immediately after, the event	Masks at all times No games (including inter-squad games), only practice/drills, etc. at this time
Coaches	Must wear masks at all times and eye protection as per Staff PPE requirements.	Must wear masks at all times and eye protection as per Staff PPE requirements. No games (including inter-squad games), only practice/drills, etc. at this time
Spectators	Wear masks at all times Specific zone for spectators Maintain physical distance Limit 1:1 spectator to athlete attending	No spectators allowed in buildings before, during or after practice, for any purpose

Outdoors

Indoors

Athletes

High Contact:

Masks must be worn at all times.

Low Contact:

Masks must be worn when not actively participating (eg. on side-lines) as well as prior to, and immediately after, the event

Masks at all times
No games (including inter-squad games), only practice/drills, etc. at this time

Coaches

Must wear masks at all times and eye protection as per Staff PPE requirements.

Must wear masks at all times and eye protection as per Staff PPE requirements.
No games (including inter-squad games), only practice/drills, etc. at this time

Spectators

Wear masks at all times
Specific zone for spectators
Maintain physical distance
Limit 1:1 spectator to athlete attending

No spectators allowed in buildings before, during or after practice, for any purpose

Elementary

Indoors:

	High/Low Contact	Mask Required	Full Games Permitted	Individual Skill Drill/Practicing Permitted
Volleyball (Int.)	High	Yes	No	Individual skills training (e.g. serving, volleying, passing, hitting, etc.) and drills that avoid close contact

Outdoors:

	High/Low Contact	Mask Required	Full Games Permitted	Individual Skill Drill/Practicing Permitted
Softball (3 Pitch) – CEC N only	Low	No	Yes	Individual skills training (e.g. catching, hitting, pitching) and drills that minimize close contact
Cross Country	Low	No	Yes	Running training that minimizes close contact

Secondary

Indoors:

	High/Low Contact	Mask Required	Full Play Allowed	Individual Skill Drill/Practicing Permitted
Basketball (Female)	High	Yes	No	Individual skills training (e.g. footwork, passing, dribbling, shooting, layups, etc.) and drills that avoid close contact (e.g. positional drills, line drills, rebounding)
Volleyball (Male)	High	Yes	No	Individual skills training (e.g. serving, volleying, passing, hitting, etc.) and drills that avoid close contact

High/Low Contact

Mask Required

Full Play Allowed

Individual Skill Drill/Practicing Permitted

Basketball (Female)

High

Yes

Individual skills training (e.g. footwork, passing, dribbling, shooting, layups, etc.) and drills that avoid close contact (e.g. positional drills, line drills, rebounding)

Volleyball

(Male)

High

Yes

Individual skills training (e.g. serving, volleying, passing, hitting, etc.) and drills that avoid close contact

Outdoors:

	High/Low Contact	Mask Required	Full Play Allowed	Individual Skill Drill/Practicing Permitted
Cross Country	Low	No	Yes	Running training that minimizes close contact
Cricket	Low	No	Yes	Individual skills training (e.g. batting, bowling) and team drills that minimize close contact
Tennis	Low	No	Yes	Individual skills training that minimizes close contact
Golf	Low	No	Yes	Individual skills training that minimizes close contact
Soccer (Male)	High	Yes	Yes	Individual skills training (e.g. ball handling, passing, shooting, etc.) and team drills that minimize close contact
Field Hockey (Female)	High	Yes	Yes	Individual skills training (e.g. ball handling, passing, shooting, etc.) and team drills that minimize close contact
Football	High	Yes	Yes	Individual skills training (e.g. passing, catching, kicking, route running, etc.) and team drills that minimize close contact
Rugby 7’s	High	Yes	No	Individual skills training (e.g. passing/ball handling, kicking, etc.) positional drills) and team drills that minimize close contact

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