UPDATES FOR COVID-19 PANDEMIC

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Lodi United Soccer Families,

This section of our website is dedicated to providing all our families and players updated information on the COVID-19 pandemic in regard to our Club. It goes without saying how much we all miss playing soccer, seeing each other, training, games, tournaments & socializing. We as a Board want nothing more than to get back to the pitch, we miss soccer and we miss you. We have a very strong hope that this will end soon, and we can get back to doing what we love.

As difficult as it is, as a Club, we encourage everyone to follow the recommendations from our local jurisdiction, for us, that is NorCal. Below is a condensed timeframe of information we received from the beginning of COVID-19, up until the most recent press release from NorCal which was April 22, 2020. As we receive more information, we will post that information here on our website, so all families can check our website and have the most up to date information that we have.

Latest Update from Ca.gov website: https://covid19.ca.gov/ 

NorCal Premier Members,

Unfortunately, due to the ongoing COVID-19 Shelter-in-Place order and the expectation that the situation will not change dramatically going into May, we have made the difficult decision to cancel all remaining NorCal 2019/20 competitions. This includes U8-U10 Regional Spring Leagues, U11-U19 Spring League, U14-U19 State Cup, National Premier League & State Premier League. The NorCal Board of Directors will meet again in May to make a decision on competition refunds and/or credits, and we will communicate a policy to all clubs by May 15.

In addition, members of NorCal’s leadership are meeting this week with all Regional Advisory Committees to discuss tryouts and team formation in light of COVID-19; and the NorCal Board of Directors will provide an update on these issues to the full membership by no later than April 30. Although the timeline for return to play remains uncertain, NorCal is fully prepared to assist member clubs in getting kids back on the field by providing games and competitions as soon as public health and government officials declare it safe to do so.

We appreciate your support and patience as we navigate this unprecedented situation.

NorCal Premier Board of Directors

A few weeks ago, US Club Soccer suspended competition until April 30th effective for all its members – including Norcal Premier Soccer. The NorCal Premier Soccer Board of Directors will meet after April 20 to look at all of our competitions options and create a new timeline, based on the latest guidance from US Club Soccer decision and medical and public health guidelines at the time.

NorCal Member Clubs,

After reviewing the updated guidance from the State of California, and the various county public health departments in Northern California regarding COVID-19, NorCal Premier Soccer will be suspending all competitions and events until March 31, effective immediately. This includes club-hosted games, NorCal-hosted games, Playdates, PDP, Coach Education events, US Soccer License courses, Referee Education events and club meetings. NorCal Member Clubs are advised to follow guidance from the State of California and their own county public health departments when making decisions on their own training programs & club operations.

With this being an evolving situation, we will continue to consult with public health department guidance and NorCal Member Clubs to plan for the remainder of the season. NorCal staff will be working over the next few weeks on various contingency plans for the 2019/20 season, including options for rescheduling competitions & events. Further details will be communicated to clubs at the appropriate time.

Thank you,
NorCal Premier Soccer Board of Directors

With the recent cases of the COVID-19 virus in California, we wish to communicate to all NorCal member clubs, teams, players, coaches, game officials & families about best practices to protect everyone at soccer events. We encourage everyone to follow the recommended guidelines from the California Department of Public Health to protect themselves and those around them from any virus including respiratory viruses like COVID-19. To help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, please follow these important tips:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, like in this video from the CDC. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol content.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• All adults and children should stay home when sick. Share this video with your children and loved ones to teach them to cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• Individuals with chronic health issues and/or individuals experiencing severe symptoms should be evaluated by a medical professional.
• California Department of Public Health does not recommend the use of face masks for general prevention and says that hand-washing provides better protection from infectious diseases.

At this time, NorCal competitions & events will continue as scheduled. We will continue to monitor the situation, and update if there are any changes to this plan. In addition to the CDC & California Department of Public Health recommendations, please see the recommendations below for NorCal games & practices in order for us all to protect ourselves and those around us.

• Players or parents feeling ill should not attend NorCal soccer matches or practices
• No handshakes, high fives, fist pumps, chest bumps, huddles, group celebrations, etc.
• No pre or post game handshakes between players, coaches & officials – teams should continue to show good sportsmanship by clapping or cheering for the opposition team
• Drinks bottles should NOT be shared
• NPL Games – home team should NOT provide water jugs for communal usage, each player should bring their own drinks bottle
• Referees only should sign the game card – there should be a verbal acknowledgement from coaches that the information is correct so that the referee may sign
• If you bring food or drinks to games, please ensure that you discard of any items yourself
• All players & teams are advised to carry & use hand sanitizer