Updated Friday, May 15, 2020.
When can we play again, and what will change? The answers depend on decisions by multiple levels of government (Cobb, Georgia, CDC, U.S.), along with soccer sanctioning bodies at the state (Georgia Soccer) and national levels (US Soccer, US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer).
Georgia Soccer’s latest message was posted April 16: “ALL GEORGIA SOCCER YOUTH SANCTIONED ACTIVITIES ARE SUSPENDED THROUGH MAY 15, 2020.” But the message doesn’t include any information about May 16 and beyond.
US Soccer currently has a Bend the Curve initiative, but it’s focused on the now, not the future.
US Youth Soccer’s latest message is from May 13 and has a detailed “Return to Activity Notice.” The key take-away: “This document cannot be prescriptive; rather, it should spark thoughtful deliberation among those who intend to use this information to create their own unique return-to-activity programming plan specific to their situation.”
US Club Soccer’s latest message was posted May 14. Here is the key point: “We recognize that different parts of our country have been affected to a different degree by the impact of COVID-19. Therefore, we are lifting our national suspension of activities and delegating return-to-play decision making to our local members, effective May 18.” This leads us to believe Georgia-specific updates will be coming soon.
More: “To be clear, this decision by no means is a blanket permission to return to the fields. Each member is expected to strictly follow state and local guidelines for the resumption of play. PLEASE NOTE: OUR INSURANCE IS ONLY IN EFFECT IF YOUR ACTIVITIES ARE CONSISTENT WITH LOCAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDELINES.”
Let’s go off on a tangent: the state of Indiana.
A personal observation: When I took one of my coaching licensing courses, I was lucky enough to have Vince Ganzberg as one of my instructors. At the time, he was Indiana Soccer’s Director of Coaching. Vince was a major role model for me. (Anytime you see us do a Texas Draw, Vince should get credit.) Because of Vince’s influence on me, whenever I see anything coming from Indiana Soccer, I check it out.
The internet being what it is, I stumbled upon a vision of the future from Indian Soccer. Click here for the Indiana Soccer Covid-19 return to play blueprint. This is all hypothetical at the moment, but it’s interesting reading and food for thought!