Legal Update Memo No. 07-2021 REVISED – CDPH Issues Updated Youth Sports Guidance (K-12)
Download pdf: 07-2021 REVISED – CDPH Issues Updated Youth Sports Guidance w attachment (JH-CDC)
On February 19, 2021, the California Department of Public Health (“CDPH”) released updated “Outdoor and Indoor Youth and Recreational Adult Sports” Guidance (“Guidance”).[1] The Guidance applies to all organized youth sports and recreation, including K-12 schools, community, and privately-organized programs and leagues, and adult recreational sports. It does not apply to college-level sports or community events such as marathons. Sports activities are permitted as shown in the below chart beginning today February 26, 2021.
General Requirements for all Sports Categories (mandatory):
- Face coverings for players, support staff, and coaches;
- No sharing of drinks or equipment;
- Indoor team activities such as dinner are prohibited;
- No out-of-state games/tournaments;
- Observers: masks, immediate household members only, total number limited to ensure 6 feet distancing and reduce crowding, consider video streaming;
- Competitions/Tournaments: only with teams of same or adjacent county, local health department must be notified for adjacent county competition, only one competition per day; and
- Anyone with symptoms must notify their coach and is not permitted to practice or compete.
Other Guidance (strongly recommended to the fullest extent possible):
- Physical conditioning, practice, and training can be done outdoors, 6 feet apart, within stable cohorts regardless of case rate, for any sport;
- Wear face coverings at all times as much as possible, regardless of exertion;
- 6 feet apart as much as possible;
- Testing once a week and before competitions for all sports;[2]
- Wash hands with soap and water or sanitizer before play, during breaks, and after play, especially when a ball or other equipment is shared;
- Limit mixing of stable groups during practice;
- Travel limits: only one household per private car, bus/van must have masks, distancing, and open windows; avoid overnight stays; and
- Vaccinate when eligible.
The Guidance discusses the sports allowed and additional precautions based on Tier placement. The Guidance chart (and the simpler chart below) provide a non-exhaustive list of sports distinguished by the level of contact:
- Low-Contact – individual or small group sports where contact within six feet of participants can be avoided. Some of these sports have relatively low exertion rates that allow for consistent wearing of face coverings when within six feet of other people.
- Moderate-Contact – team sports that can be played with only incidental or intermittent close contact between participants.
- High-Contact – team sports with frequent or sustained close contact (and in many case, face-to-face contact) between participants and high probability that respiratory particles will be transmitted between participants.
Examples of Youth and Adult Recreational Sports Permitted by Tier
| Widespread Tier
Purple |
Substantial Tier
Red |
Moderate
Tier Orange |
Minimal Tier
Yellow |
|
| Type of Sports | Outdoor
Low-Contact
(Can also play outdoor High-Contact if case rates are less than 14 per 100,000 with the below additional requirements) |
Outdoor
Moderate-Contact
(Can also play outdoor High-Contact if case rates are less than 15 per 100,000 with the below additional requirements) |
Outdoor
High-Contact
Indoor Low-Contact |
Indoor
Moderate-Contact
Indoor High-Contact |
| Non-exhaustive Sports Examples | · Cross Country/Track/ Running
· Biking · Group classes (yoga, Zumba, etc.) · Swimming · Martial arts (no contact)
|
· Baseball/Softball
· Cheerleading · Tennis (doubles) · Volleyball
|
Outdoor High-Contact:
· Basketball · Football · Soccer
Indoor Low-Contact: · Physical Training · Swimming · Tennis (singles) |
Indoor Moderate-Contact:
· Cheerleading · Dance · Tennis (doubles) · Volleyball
Indoor High-Contact: · Basketball · Martial Arts · Soccer · Wrestling |
| Additional
Specific Requirements Beyond General Requirements for All Sports |
Outdoor High-Contact additional requirements:
Required: · Informed Consent Form · Testing once a week and before competitions[3] Strongly Encouraged: · Face coverings · Distancing · Testing · Hygiene · Limits on mixing · Travel limits
|
Moderate-Contact
· Informed Consent Form
Outdoor High-Contact additional requirements: Required: · Informed Consent Form · Testing once a week and before competitions[4] Strongly Encouraged: · Face coverings · Distancing · Testing · Hygiene · Limits on mixing · Travel limits |
High-Contact
· Informed Consent Form
|
Indoor activities must comply with CDPH capacity limits[5]
Maximize indoor ventilation |
Other Information:
On February 19, 2021, the California Interscholastic Federation applied this CDPH Guidance to its sports.[6]
A sample Informed Consent Form is attached.
Please contact our office with questions regarding this Legal Update or any other legal matter.
Encl.
The information in this Legal Update is provided as a summary of law and is not intended as legal advice. Application of the law may vary depending on the particular facts and circumstances at issue. We, therefore, recommend that you consult legal counsel to advise you on how the law applies to your specific situation.
© 2021 School and College Legal Services of California
All rights reserved. However, SCLS grants permission to any current SCLS client to use, reproduce, and distribute this Legal Update in its entirety for the client’s own non-commercial purposes.
[1] https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/outdoor-indoor-recreational-sports.aspx
[2] Generally, LEAs can make participation in athletics contingent on a student’s participation in certain testing programs. (Vernonia School District v. Acton (515 U.S. 646 (1995).)
[3] Mandatory testing requirements apply to: 1. Football, rugby, and water polo; 2. When case rates are over 7 per 100,000; OR 3. Participants are over 13 years old.
[4] Mandatory testing requirements apply to: 1. Football, rugby, and water polo; 2. When case rates are over 7 per 100,000; OR 3. Participants are over 13 years old.
[5] https://files.covid19.ca.gov/pdf/guidance-fitness–en.pdf
