Message from Athletic Directors to Visiting Teams

ATTN: Visiting teams to the Eugene 4J, Bethel, or Springfield school districts

As COVID-19 begins to circulate throughout our community at increased rates, the Bethel, Eugene 4J and Springfield school districts are working together to plan for how we can mitigate the impacts of the virus on our schools and school communities.

It is a collective top priority in all three districts to maintain in-person learning while also working to limit the spread of COVID-19. All three districts also share a desire to continue to provide extracurricular activities to the greatest extent safely possible.

In an effort to continue to offer winter athletics and be in alignment with current safety measures recommended by OSAA and OHA, the athletic directors from the Bethel, Eugene 4J, and Springfield school districts have collaboratively agreed to the following protocols for games at Eugene and Springfield schools:

  • Attendees must follow and enforce OHA-mandated indoor masking rules at all times.
    • Everyone over the age of 5 must wear a mask at all times with the exception of athletes and officials who are physically exerting themselves. This includes athletes who are on the bench, in huddles, while walking to the locker room, and while leaving district facilities.
  • Spectators will be limited and tickets will be required to attend events to allow for increased distancing. Each student-athlete will be allocated a set number of “tickets” depending on whether they’re playing a home or away game. Each student-athlete will be given four “tickets” for home games and two “tickets” for away games. Athletic directors in each district will work directly with families to provide information about how to obtain tickets.
  • Concession stands will be paused; no outside food or drinks will be permitted inside.
  • Hand sanitization will be required upon entry of events.
  • Screening: Visiting teams are required to screen their student-athletes and coaches for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 before arriving at a visiting school and prior to entering the building.
  • Introductions/End-of-game: Players will meet parents in the parking lot, not in the lobby; No handshakes before or after the game with opposing coaches, athletes, or officials.

Visiting teams who choose not to comply with the above OSAA and OHA protocols will be required to forfeit the event.

Please know that the decision to temporarily limit spectators was not made lightly. These decisions were made in adherence with local and state public health guidelines. Keeping our students in school and participating in extracurricular events is dependent upon everyone doing their part to limit the transmission of COVID-19 in our community.

Thank you for your understanding and compliance as we implement these COVID-related changes for extracurricular activities in our districts. We will continue to monitor pandemic conditions and revisit protocols with the expectation that the above restrictions will be lifted as case rates decline.

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