As the Department of Athletics prepares for the transition back to campus, the health and safety of student-athletes, coaches, staff, recruits, donors and fans continue to be the top priority. Thus, safety protocols have been developed to execute best practices for returning to campus, as well as detailed guidelines for the start of athletic training and competition. Guidance from medical experts and the National Association of College Athletics (NCAA) plan, “Core Principles of Resocialization in Sport,” has been essential to the development of this plan.
This plan contains additional recommendations and guidelines that are specific to student-athlete well-being, including:
- Testing/screening guidelines for student-athletes, coaches, staff, prospective Student-Athletes and their families;
- Social distancing requirements for all athletic training injury treatment and rehabilitation, strength and conditioning sessions, and meeting and practice areas;
- The use of personal protective equipment during practices, training, rehabilitation and competition;
- Sanitation requirements for locker rooms, training areas, weight rooms, media rooms, meeting spaces, practice and competition facilities, and all equipment/apparel;
- Quarantine or isolation and return to participation protocols;
- Prevention and education plans for student-athletes, coaches, staff, fans, donors and athletics business partners; and
- Game day operations to ensure safety of all constituents attending competitions.
These guidelines are designed to help prevent the spread of infection and will be executed, adjusted and strictly enforced in parallel to the University, local, state, NCAA, MEAC, CDC and other national governing body policies and orders.