Athletics Masking Requirements

October 7, 2020

We would like to thank our athletic spectators for their continued support of our student athletes and are looking forward to seeing even more of you as the parameters for our sporting events allow each athlete to designate up to 6 guests beginning Friday.

As we see schools around our state and country continuing to close due to COVID-19 concerns, it is as important as ever that we stay the course.  MAPS remains dedicated to providing a safe environment for all athletic events by following the Michigan High School Athletic Association guidelines as well as the October 5 Michigan Department of Health and Human Service requirements for masking and gathering limitations.  It is because we follow these safety guidelines that we are able to continue our fall sports schedule.

When attending sporting events, both indoors and outdoors, all spectators and staff will be required to be properly masked at all times.  Please see the attachment for proper wearing of masks.  Understand that should any spectator choose to NOT properly wear a mask while in attendance at a sporting event, they will be jeopardizing the continuation of the event.  Contests will be suspended until any spectator refusing to comply is removed from the venue.

Spectators designated by an athlete but unable to wear a mask are able to view the game outside of the fence on Twelfth Street or by following the radio transmission of the game on WMTE 101.5 FM.

Let’s work together to show our Chips support and MASK UP!

Athletics Update – October 9, 2020

Special instructions for Spectators 

• Spectators: Athletes will be allowed up to 6 people on their pass list for spectator tickets.  Names need to be provided to the athletic office by noon on game days.  Visiting teams will also be allowed up to 6 spectators/participant. 
• Admission:  Admission is $5.00 – per spectator – (no annual, league, or senior passes this year) and spectators will drop the cash in a drop bucket/container.  Change will not be provided, so they must come with proper cash to place in the collection bucket.  This is our solution for a contactless entry.
  • Gates open 20 minutes prior to start time.  
  • Health screening: please prescreen yourself prior to coming to an event.  If you have a fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, etc., please stay home.  
  • Social distancing: while entering, during the event, and exiting the venue maintain a 6’ distance.  Individuals/families not part of the same household must maintain six feet apart from one another. Hand sanitizer is also available at the entrance.
  • Masks: must be worn at all times by staff, spectators, and athletes (indoor & outdoor.)

• Cross Country: No spectators at/near the start or finish lines and remember to keep 6’ apart
• Concessions may be available on a limited scale outdoors, but not indoors at this time.  No outside food or drink is allowed in.
• Live Streaming: Our Pixellot live streaming system installation date is scheduled for October 16.  More information will be shared once the system is operational.

We will continue to follow all other current MHSAA guidelines.  Please contact the Athletics Department if you have any questions about these or other athletics regulations.  We look forward to seeing more spectators at these events.

Athletic Update – September 8,  2020

Executive Order 2020-176 was released allowing reinstatement of our fall sports season with defined precautions.  We will be following the mandates of this EO with guidance from the Michigan High School Athletic Association in order to establish procedures to safely proceed.  The details we have are shared below:

• Indoor & Outdoor Sports: the ONLY people permitted into the gym for events will be the teams, coaches, officials, game workers, Athletic Trainer(s), school administration, media, and up to 2 guests of each athlete and staff on each team. 
• Health Screenings: Home team will pre-screen their team, visitors will pre-screen their team prior to departure, and our game manager will check names & health screen names on the provided parent pass list, officials, & media.  Hand sanitizer is also available at the entrance.
• Pass List: Both home & visiting teams must send a list of parent/guardian names for the pass list to by noon of the day of the event.
• Admission: Admission is $5.00 admission per spectator. In order to allow for contactless entry, spectators will drop the cash in a drop bucket/container.  Change will not be provided, so they must come with proper cash to place in the collection bucket. 
• Gates open 20 minutes prior to start time.  
• Health screening conducted by game manager, athletic trainer, or designee (hand sanitizer available)
• JV fans may be asked to leave after the JV game, unless they have a player on the Varsity team.
• Cross Country: No spectators at/near the start or finish lines and remember to keep 6’ apart.
• Social distancing: while entering, during the event, and exiting the venue.  Individuals/families not part of the same household must maintain six feet apart from one another. 
• Masks must be worn at all times by staff, spectators, and athletes. (indoor & outdoor)
• Live streaming: COMING SOON
  • Ex: JV & Varsity VB matches will be live streamed via the NFHS Network. The link for folks to register is here:   https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/schools/manistee-high-school-manistee-mi   Viewers will need to subscribe for a 1-month subscription ($10.99) in order to view live, but they then get the month to watch unlimited live streaming across the country.
• Concessions will not be provided for the foreseeable future.
• Water will be available to teams at this time.  Teams need to bring their own bottles.
• Locker rooms will be available to teams, including disinfecting before and after use.  

All other current MHSAA guidelines will continue to be followed.  Please contact the Athletic Department with any questions.

We are grateful to be able to provide the opportunity for our students to participate in their chosen sports.  We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.  Watch the www.chipslead.org website for sports schedule updates.

Athletics Update – June 9, 2020

Manistee Area Public Schools made the announcement June 8th that district outdoor activities can resume, based upon MHSAA guideline documents:  Guidance 05-29-20.pdf   Guidance 6-2-20.pdf. Below we have outlined the protocols, procedures, and precautions being taken to protect our student athletes and staff as we resume activity.  If you, or your student, is participating in athletic activities it will be important that you are aware of the following:

Current Outdoor Activity Guidelines:

• Only OUTDOOR activity may take place in groups of 250 or fewer with physical distancing.
• We will not have any games/competition taking place on our campus, until further notice.
• The use of restrooms and other indoor facilities including training rooms are closed, until the indoor facilities are officially opened, and proper cleaning processes and social distancing practices are in place.
• The MHSAA will continue to communicate on the progression of steps based on future government direction.

Athletic office will provide each athletic program with all the required equipment:

• Screening sheets
• Thermometer
• Hand sanitizer, isopropanol (at least 70%) alcohol, & wipes prior to athletes arriving at sites.
• Masks are not required to be worn outside but are recommended by the MHSAA.  Individuals have the right to wear their masks outside even if they are told they are not necessary. Coaches and athletes will need to provide their own face masks and gloves.

Pre- workout Screening:

• Activities must be done with physical distancing of 6 feet. There must be a minimum distance of 6 feet between individuals at all times.   Coaches are responsible for maintaining athletes social distancing using field markings, cones, etc. and proper signage.
• Individuals should wash their hands for a minimum of 20 seconds with warm water and soap, or hand sanitizer before touching any surfaces or participating in workouts.   Hand sanitizer stations/bottles will be provided to coaches by custodians as supply is available.
• All coaches and students will be screened for signs/symptoms of COVID-19 prior to a workout. Our coaching staff that is leading the session will perform the temperature check/screening questions before the session begins.  Screening includes a temperature check and health survey.
• Anyone with a temperature of greater than 100.3 degrees shall not participate and be sent home immediately, documented, and reported to parents/guardian.  They should also self-isolate and contact their primary care provider or other health-care professional. Involve local health departments if positive cases of COVID are discovered.

Limitations on Gatherings:

• No gathering of more than 250 people at a time (outside only).
• Workouts should be conducted in “pods” of students with the same small group of students always working out together. This ensures more limited exposure if someone develops an infection.
• Vulnerable individuals should not oversee or participate in any workouts at this time.
• We recommend that cloth face coverings be worn by students & adults (but use your judgement, especially on hot days when even low intensity workouts could be dangerous with a mask.)  Exceptions are swimming, distance running or other high-intensity aerobic activity.

Physical Activity and Athletic Equipment:

• If equipment is permitted for use, all athletic equipment, including balls, should be cleaned intermittently during practices and workouts by each student-athlete.  The best way to sanitize equipment is at least 70% isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle.  Spray, wipe, repeat.
• No sharing of equipment, water bottles, towels, etc.
• Workouts should be focused on conditioning and injury prevention not just sport/skill specific.
• Band resistance training and body weight training should be utilized. General conditioning should also be utilized.
• Proper acclimatization of ALL activities will be utilized. Keep in mind our student-athletes have detrained for a long period of inactivity. Acclimatization could take up 4 weeks.
• Coaches and staff are expected to have CPR/1st Aid certified staff on hand, which includes the use of AEDs.

Facilities Cleaning:

• Locker rooms & bathrooms are closed.  Students must be encouraged to shower and wash their workout clothing immediately upon returning to home. C&W PortaJohns will be placed at 3 locations – 12th St: new track & old track and Robinson St: Kennedy field.
• Adequate cleaning schedules will be created and implemented for all athletic facilities.  TBD once inside facilities can be accessed.

Hydration:

• All students shall bring their own water bottle. Water bottles must not be shared.
• Hydration stations (water cows, water trough, water fountains, etc.) will not be utilized (MAPS will not provide hydration stations or shared water bottles/fountains that student-athletes can use.)
• Gallon containers are highly recommended.  If an athlete doesn’t have a water bottle, the coach/school will provide one.  We do not recommend allowing any athlete to exercise without water nearby.
• Each head coach will coordinate a manager/individual that will fill water bottles with gloves and a mask during training sessions (can be a coach/manager but cannot be a student-athlete).

Parents reserve the right to remove their students from these workouts if they feel that their son/daughter may be in harm’s way.  This will absolutely not affect a student’s status for fall sports.  Opportunities at the beginning of the season will allow coaching staffs to evaluate their athletes for team selection.

Please keep in mind that we are taking the reopening slow and steady in June so that we are not jeopardizing July and August for our fall athletes.  Also, keep in mind that every school district is its own entity, and all districts may not be on the exact same schedule as us.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Sincerely,

Kevin Schmultzler, Athletic Director
Manistee Area Public Schools