COVID-19

May 26, 2020

Dear Club and League Representatives:

At this point in time, a ‘return to training’ is not currently permitted. The Michigan State Youth Soccer Association’s (MSYSA) return-to-training guidelines apply once MSYSA has indicated that it is safe for an initial return-to-training in limited-size groups, and with adherence to social distancing. These are being provided so that our affiliated league/clubs, team officials and parents/players can prepare now on what is expected once MSYSA has indicated it is safe for an initial return-to-training.

For now, a return-to-training, with coaching (onsite) observing social distancing, may occur when Governor Whitmer has indicated that the entire state of Michigan has entered Phase 5. For reference, Governor Whitmer’s ‘Stay Home, Stay Safe’ Executive Order is in effect through June 12, 2020. Out of an abundance of caution for our participants and families, MSYSA’s return-to-play date is June 15, 2020, at the earliest. In the event that MSYSA receives favorable clarification on potential youth soccer activities from MDHHS during Phase 4, MSYSA will update our guidance to be consistent with MDHHS.

During an initial return-to-training, clubs must:

·Read and review MSYSA’s criteria for small group training sessions (includes athletes, coaches and staff).

·Create and distribute protocols to members.

·Have an effective communication plan in place.

·Identify strategies for working with public health officials to notify adult leaders, youth, and their families if the organization becomes aware of a participant or adult leader has developed COVID-19 and may have been infectious to others while at a youth activity.

·Maintain participant confidentiality regarding health status.

·Be sensitive and accommodating to parents who may be uncomfortable with returning to play at this time.

·Have an action plan in place, in case of notification of a positive test result.

·Train and educate all staff on protocols and requirements, including state and local regulations, CDC recommendations and other necessary safety information.

·Be prepared to shut down and stop operations.

·Develop plans for temporary closure of facilities for proper disinfection.

·Provide adequate field space for social distancing.

·Provide hand sanitizing stations (recommended) and waste receptacles at fields for individual participant use.

·Contact, and seek guidance, from their insurance carrier(s) if not secured or provided by MSYSA’s insurance carrier and communicate that information to participants prior to initial training.

In addition, coaches/team officials must:

·Read and review MSYSA’s criteria for small group training sessions (includes athletes, coaches and staff).

·Ensure you are healthy and you check your temperature before activities with others.

·Ensure the health and safety of the participants.

·Inquire if the athletes have experienced any ill feelings or COVID-19 symptoms. Send home anyone you believe acts or looks ill and advise them to contact their healthcare provider as soon as possible.

·Follow all state and local health protocols and guidelines.

·Ensure all athletes have their own individual equipment (ball, water, etc.)

·Ensure the coach is the only person to handle equipment (e.g. cones); do not enlist parental or attendee assistance.

·Ensure that all training is conducted outdoors (recommended) and compliant with social distancing per state or local health guidelines.

·Always wear a face mask, even when not actively coaching.

·Have fun, stay positive – players and parents are looking to you for leadership.

·Do not use scrimmage jerseys, or pennies, at this time.

Before ‘returning to training’, MSYSA’s affiliated clubs and leagues are required to create, distribute, and be prepared to enforce all safety protocols, consistent with MSYSA’s guidelines. The information above represents abbreviated, high-level, guidelines as it relates to a ‘return-to-training’. It is important that our affiliated clubs and leagues feel comfortable with the new guidelines. If your club or league does not feel they can achieve the required level of compliance, then it is important that you not proceed until you are comfortable.

Please share this information with your affiliated team officials. In the interim, please continue to review our website, email communications, and social media platforms for updates.

Sincerely,

Thomas Faro

Executive Director

cc.:MSYSA Board of Directors

May 20, 2020

Dear Club and League Representatives:

As of the date of this communication,Governor Whitmer’s ‘Stay Home, Stay Safe’ Executive Order is still in place.Michigan is also still in Phase 3 (Flattening) of the Governor’sMI Safe Start Plan.Thus, out of an abundance of caution for our participants and families, MSYSA’s return-to-play date is now June 15, 2020, at the earliest. With the exceptions noted in MSYSA’s2020-2021 Travel Team Formation Policy, MSYSA has suspended all of our soccer activities*, all MSYSA sanctioned tournaments, and all other affiliated soccer activities through June 14, 2020.

*MSYSA affiliated activities includes scheduled games, team practice/training sessions, or sponsored activities that are under the direct supervision of a team official; or sanctioned local or national tournaments as a member of a contestant team (e.g., any activity that MSYSA sanctions and insures).

MSYSA will not sanction, affiliate, or insure any in-person (traditional) try-outs, in-person player trainings or assessments of any kind, team practices, trainings, scrimmages, matches, or soccer travel to other states until communicated otherwise. Team officials, clubs, and players who ignore, do not adhere to, or violate these protocols before (or after) a return-to-play, are not insured by MSYSA. In addition, these individuals/groups are subject to disciplinary measures, such as being placed in bad standing, suspension(s), and/or fines, as determined by the MSYSA Board of Directors.

MSYSA has been unable to secure definitive clarification from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services(MDHHS)on what youth soccer activities, if any,will be permittedwhen the state enters Phase 4 of the Governor’s MI Safe Start Plan. At this point in time, MSYSA believes that Phase 5 represents the specific time period in which statewide youth soccer training will be allowed to resume in limited-size groups and with adherence to social distancing. For now, a return-to-training may occur when Governor Whitmer has indicated that the entire state of Michigan has entered Phase 5. MSYSA does not believe that the entire state of Michigan will enter Phase 5 in the immediate futureor before June 15, 2020. In the event that MSYSA receives favorable clarification on potential youth soccer activities from MDHHS during Phase 4, MSYSA will update our guidance to be consistent with MDHHS.

MSYSA will be sharing our return-to-training guidelines with you later this week or early next week. In the interim, please review US Youth Soccer’sgeneral guidelines. MSYSA’s return-to-training guidelines will include additional guidance/recommendations from the CDC and state/local health departments. During an initial return-to-training, MSYSA expects to implement guidelines such as avoiding activities that require direct or indirect contact between athletes, players exclusively using their own equipment, and on-site coaching as long as social distancing is maintained throughout the activity. Also, we anticipate that clubs will be required to create, distribute, and enforce specific safety protocols to members and participants (more detailed information will be provided soon). Our goal in sharing this information with you is so that our affiliated clubs, team officials, parents, and players can safely and adequately prepare for return-to-training on or after June 15, 2020.

In addition, MSYSA is restricting, for the foreseeable future, soccer travel to other states (e.g., training sessions, scrimmages, matches, tournaments, etc.). While other states around us may be reopening, or returning to play before Michigan, it is important we do our part in mitigating the spread of COVID-19 to other areas of the country.

Finally, MSYSA is implementing use of a communicable diseases waiver. The waiver needs to be reviewed and completed by those desiring to participate in MSYSA’s Director’s Academy, NLC, MSPSP, ODP, ODP 101, State Cup, Junior State Cup, etc. As part of MSYSA’s duty of care, the waiver is intended to advise persons that there is a risk of acquiring communicable diseases, including COVID-19, in group settings. MSYSA recommends our affiliated clubs and leagues also utilize the waiver as part of your duty of care as well. MSYSA’s waiver has been reviewed by MSYSA legal counsel and conforms with state statutes.

Our next teleconference (Zoom) update will occur with club and league representatives onFriday,May 29, 2020 at 4:00 pm.A separate email communication will be disseminated to club and league representatives with the call-in number and meeting ID.Please note: This call is limited to club & league representatives only.

Thank you for your continued patience and support.

Sincerely,

Thomas Faro

Executive Director

cc.:MSYSA Board of Directors

May 8, 2020

Dear Club and League Representatives:

Please be advised that Michigan Governor, Gretchen Whitmer, has extended her ‘Stay Home, Stay Safe’ Executive Order through Thursday, May 28, 2020. As you know, MSYSA’s return-to-play date is June 1, 2020. However, MSYSA anticipates reviewing the June 1, 2020 return-to-play date on or around May 18, 2020.

For now, MSYSA has suspended all of our soccer activities*, all MSYSA sanctioned tournaments, and all affiliated soccer activities through May 31, 2020. In addition, MSYSA recently developed a new policy for 2020-2021, redefining how travel teams may be formed in the absence of in-person (traditional) try-outs. Please Click here for more information.

Currently, the State of Michigan is in Phase 3 (Flattening) of six phases in the MI Safe Start Plan. Phase 4 (Improving) is outlined as the number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths declining, with robust testing and contact tracing in place. Phase 5 (Containing) is described as the state’s confirmed case count and death rates continuing to improve, and outbreaks that can be quickly contained. In Phase 5, outdoor recreation (currently not defined in any way) is allowed (limited-size groups) with adherence to social distancing. Phase 6 (Post-pandemic) is when community spread is no longer expected to return, and the economy is fully reopened. It is not likely the State of Michigan will be in this phase until there is a vaccine or cure for COVID-19.

In the near future, US Youth Soccer plans to provide State Associations with guidelines as it relates to a potential, and phased-in, return-to-play. MSYSA future guidelines may be comparable. However, MSYSA guidelines could also include additional guidance/recommendations suggested from the CDC, and state/local health departments. In addition, MSYSA’s guidelines are likely to outline player responsibilities, parent/guardian responsibilities and coach/club responsibilities. Like you, MSYSA is hopeful that the State of Michigan, and the appropriate health departments, share their information, when available.

Our next teleconference (Zoom) update will occur with club and league representatives onFriday,May 15, 2020 at 4:00 pm. A separate email communication will be disseminated to club and league representatives with the call-in number and meeting ID.Please note: This call is limited to club & league representatives only.

Finally, for a potential, safe, and orderly return-to-play, at some point in the future, please do your part to protect yourself and others by following the CDC recommendations.

Sincerely,

Thomas Faro

Executive Director

cc.:MSYSA Board of Directors

April 29, 2020

Good Afternoon,

We hope that everyone is remaining safe and healthy at home. As some of the restrictions we have been living under begin to ease up, I expect that the kids may start to get a little more difficult to keep at home, occupied, and entertained. Additionally, as parents, you may start to have more questions for us as to what comes next. We will continue to send out updates regularly as we have been doing.

It is important that each of you takes the time to read through all of the information. We have started to get individual requests for information that has been sent out in multiple emails. Unfortunately, we can’t respond to everyone individually nor do we want to have different information accidentally going out to different people. Please be sure to share these emails with other decision-makers within your household.

To try and make sure that we are reaching everyone, we will send out the information through our MailChimp account which has been used for previous updates, weekly Parent Engagement pieces, and our monthly Inside Cap City email. We will also send a version out through PlayMetrics.
If you have someone that should be receiving the MailChimp email but is not, please send their name (first and last) and email address to [email protected] and I will update our list. Each PlayMetrics account has a “primary contact” which can add additional contacts to their account as necessary. Please update your accounts as needed.

MSYSA Updates
The MSYSA just sent out an email stating that they will not sanction or insure tryouts for the 2020/21 season. There is a lot of information regarding rule changes to go through before we can determine what this all means and what tryouts may look like this year. We have a conference call with them on Friday at 4pm and hope to learn more about what this is going to mean for all of us.

As we learn more and get a better picture of what the 2020/21 tryouts will look like, we will pass that information along to all of you. Please expect another update from us late Friday or early Saturday this week.

Please see below for the full release from MSYSA.

As a reminder, Eric and I are available via Zoom each Monday at 5pm. If you have anything that you would like for us to discuss in those meetings, please send us an email letting us know. The details for joining the meeting will be sent out each weekend along with the reminder and details for the Cap City Mental Skills Development sessions.

Finally, thank you for your continued support of Cap City. We have been receiving very nice emails and comments from many of you as we navigate this environment together. These strengthen our resolve anddesire to come through thisa stronger club and community as Lansing’s only home-grown premier soccer program.

Sincerely,

Dan Jury
Stacy DeLonge
Eric DeLonge

April29, 2020

DearClub and League Representatives:

After much consideration,MSYSA is suspending allof our soccer activities*, all MSYSA sanctioned tournaments, and all MSYSA affiliated activities throughMay31, 2020.Thus, our new return-to-play date is now June 1, 2020.

*MSYSA affiliated activities’ includes scheduled games, team practice/training sessions, or sponsored activities that are under the direct supervision of a team official; or sanctioned local or national tournaments as a member of a contestant team (e.g., any activity that MSYSA sanctions and insures).

With respect to our June 13 ^th Official Try-Out Start Date, MSYSA will not be sanctioning or insuring in-person try-outs this year. Current social distancing restrictions in the State of Michigan are not likely to be relaxed to enable a traditional try-out event in June . Furthermore, the anticipated summer calendar for many, and preparations for the fall season, made it impractical for MSYSA to move travel try-outs into July. In the absence of in-person try-outs, MSYSA has adopted a 2020-2021 Travel Team Formation Policy , along with related rule changes , effective April 27, 2020. Please read, review, and share this information with others.

The redefined 2020 process is intended to try and normalize things for players, parents, and clubs. We are mindful of those who are hesitant to attend in-person try-outs, even if/when it is determined safe to return. We also know that a number of parents want to know where their child will play soccer this fall. In addition, our affiliated clubs are eager to field teams, order uniforms, and start preparing for the fall 2020 season. We believe what we have outlined in the policy presents appropriate balance.

Also, MSYSA’s Spring2020 registration deadline has been extended until June 15, 2020. However, if your club or league is a direct member of MSYSA and you’ve made the decision to cancel your spring programming, please let us know by emailing [email protected] .

Our next teleconference (Zoom) update will occur with club and league representatives on Friday,May 1, 2020 at 4:00 pm . A separate email communication will be disseminated to club and league representatives with the call-in number and meeting ID. Please note: This call is limited to club & league representatives only. In the interim, please reviewplease review ourFAQson our website .

Our priority continues to be the safety and well-being of our players, team officials, and referees.These are difficult times for everyone. Weknowtherearemany players and team officials anxious to get back to the soccer fields.We appreciate your continued patience as we navigate the path forward.

Please continue to review our website, email communications, and social media platforms for updates.

Sincerely,

Thomas Faro

Executive Director

cc.:MSYSA Board of Directors