Pre-Game Considerations
- Pre-game Protocol – Limit participants to 1 captain and 1 adult coach from each team with each captain standing on the center circle on each side of the division line.
- Suspend handshakes prior to and following the pre-game conference.
- Pre-Game Ceremonies – Officials should stand at the division line across from team benches during pre-game ceremonies and player introductions.
- Player introductions – As the players are introduced, they should refrain from shaking hands with the officials and go to the area directly in front of their team bench.
Officials Table:
- The host should sanitize the table before the game and at the half.
- Hand sanitizer should be available at the table before during and after a contest.
- Limit seats at the table to the following: home scorer, timer and announcer. (Visiting scorer can sit on visiting bench or in a designated area behind the scorers table that allows for 6ft social distancing)
- Face coverings are required at all times for table personnel.
Team Benches:
- Limit the number of bench personnel.
- Only coaches, players and medical personnel are allowed on the bench.
Staying Home when Appropriate
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- All officials should stay home if they have a fever or feel sick. Notify your director and the league office as early in the day of the game or the day before to allow for someone to be re-assigned to your position.
- All officials must quarantine and stay home if they have tested positive for COVID-19 or are showing COVID-19 symptoms. Turn in or decline any game assignments that fall into the quarantine time.
- All officials must quarantine and stay home and monitor their health if they have had close contact with a person who has symptoms of COVID-19 within the past 14 days. Turn in or decline any game assignments that fall into the quarantine time.
Pre- Game for Officials:
- Many schools will not be able to physically offer a dressing facility that allows for the officials to maintain 6ft social distancing while changing and conducting pre-game meetings as a crew. Schools will still be required to offer a space for changing, going to the restroom, and showering.
- Officials should come dressed for a varsity contest. You can put your shirt on once you arrive at the site.
- Officials should arrive no later than 45 minutes prior to the start of the contest if you are dressed. (Schools will be asked to provide an area where officials can use the restroom once they arrive that is secure.)
- If you choose to dress on site, you may need to arrive earlier than 1 hr prior to tipoff to allow for time to change and stretch.
- Pre-game meetings may be conducted outside of the changing area. This could be in a classroom, hallway, coaching office, auxiliary gym etc.
- Officials will suspend the practice of wearing jackets on the floor.
- Pre-Game Ceremonies – Officials should stand at the division line across from team benches during pre-game ceremonies and player introductions.
During the Contest:
- Face coverings will be permissible. However, officials must still be able to perform their duties as an official while wearing a face covering.
- If worn, a face covering must be solid black in color or a clear plastic shield.
- Officials are allowed to wear protective gloves to handle the ball. Protective gloves must be clear or solid white or black in color and should be disposable.
- Electronic finger whistles may be used. However, officials using an electronic finger whistle must ensure that the sound can be heard in the gym like a normal whistle.
- Officials should bring their own personal water bottle for use during the contest. Using water bottles from the school should not be done unless in an extreme emergency regarding the personal health and safety of an official.