(11/10) The Fairfield Area School District (FASD) board approved a proposed Return to Play Guidelines for winter sports at their November 23 meeting which will commence with appropriate COVID-19 restrictions. The plan covers practice session … and games held at FASD and away-from-home.

The winter sports season begins November 20, with the end-date dependent upon whether or not the district makes it into the post-season, according to Crystal Heller, director of athletics.

Regarding team practice sessions, coronavirus symptom screening will include daily symptom and temperature checks, during which coaches and athletes are required to wear masks. Test results are to be turned-in at the end of each practice.

In order to attend away-from-home games, the "home" teams of the away-from-home games are to be presented with documents certifying that the FASD teams have "completed screenings and are symptom-free."

Due to the necessity of maintaining social distancing, "huddling" is prohibited. Team members must be spread apart by at least six feet, and thus expected to communicate their intended plays to the team members in this manner. The plan further states, "Any student that does not comply with social distancing requirements should be removed and sent home from practice."

Regarding equipment - athletes and staff are required to wear masks or face-shields while on school property (except during physical-conditioning or intense cardio-workouts), and while being transported on school-issued transportation, and are also required to be on if players or staff are sitting and watching the games or matches, even while not actually participating.

In sports wherein there may be handing-off of a ball, the ball is to be taken out-of-play and sanitized at the next occurring "dead ball" - before being allowed to be placed back into play.

Wrestling workout groups will be limited in number, and participants will be required to wipe-down with the body-wipes provided by the district after workout sessions.

According to the district, as per Governor Tom Wolf’s mandates - athletes may not engage in chewing gum, licking of fingers, nor spitting. Players are not to play shirtless.

Sports faculty must wear face coverings while in the buildings. No more than four trainees and a coach will be permitted in the weight room at one time, while only two students will be permitted in the athletic training room.

Regarding spectators - athletes are provided with three passes (medals) that they may hand-out to whomever they choose. Social distancing will be maintained in the areas where spectators are permitted to view the games, unless two or three are of the same family who reside in the same residence … in which case they, as a group, will be required to maintain social distancing from any/all other spectators.

Video-cameras will be installed to allow for remote-viewing (streaming) of games.