RETURN TO PLAY GUIDELINES

Quick Link: Eastside FC Return to Play Guidelines

“It’s not the will to win, but the will to prepare to win that makes the difference.” -Bear Bryant

We are almost there. As Chance indicated in our communication earlier this week, Preston Park will be available for training on June 22. This is an event we have all been looking forward to for almost three months and we all share the excitement about returning to the pitch. 

As we begin to prepare for our return to play, this week’s quote (one of my favorites) takes on a different focus. While preparation for training has always been part of the complete player, our understanding of the phased return to play guidelines and our commitment to adhere to these guidelines has never been more essential to our individual well-being and that of our community. All individuals that will be involved in any aspect of club activities – parents, players, coaches, volunteers – must be fully informed as to the phased return to play guidelines and must honor those guidelines without question. 

The good news is that there are fantastic resources that are available to our community to help us understand what each of us must do be able to return to play. As a first step, I encourage you to sit down with your players (regardless of age or playing experience) and review the Eastside FC Return to Play Guidelines as well as material from our partner organizations, US Soccer, Washington Youth Soccer, & ECNL

These are great resources to begin to understand a number of changes and new actions that must be incorporated in order to resume training. There has never been a time in which individual preparation for training (health checks, sanitizer, equipment labeling, etc.) will have such a prominent role in the winning scenario of having our players being able to play once again.

Our leadership team has spent a great deal of time understanding the return to play guidelines and ensuring that our club can fully comply. Nevertheless, as I have mentioned in several of my communications, during these very uncertain times, we expect and respect that each family is the ultimate decision maker in terms of returning to play. Above all, be safe!