What’s changing for sports in Pa.? Gov. Wolf just released new guidelines

HARRISBURG, Pa. — As counties across the state move into the yellow and green phases, Governor Tom Wolf just announced what guidelines high school, college and professional sports teams will need to follow in Pennsylvania in the wake of the coronavirus. The guidelines also include recreational sports.

This guidance applies to summer workouts and may be changed as fall practices begin, as well as again in the winter and spring.

School

Public and private K-12 schools under the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) and the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association (PISAA) in the yellow and green phase can resume voluntary sports-related workouts, but first must develop a health and safety plan that is also approved by the board of directors and is posted on the school’s website.

More on that can be found HERE.

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Recreational

Any recreational or amateur sports team that is in a green phase county, and not affiliated with a K-12 school, can hold in-person games, practices and other activities. All gatherings should follow CDC guidelines.

That includes having less than 25 people if the sport is in a yellow phase county and 250 or less in a green phase county.

Youth

Staff for the league and team should review Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance for youth sports. Coaches and any other adult personnel should wear face coverings and screen athletes for symptoms before practices and games.

Parents need to follow those same guidelines, but also practice social distancing and not enter the field or bench areas.

Teams are encouraged to stagger drop-off and pick-up times at outdoor locations, as well as designate entrances and exits.

All participants should also avoid unnecessary physical contact and clean and disinfect equipment and facilities.

College

National Collegiate Athletic Association-sanctioned sports, as well as intramural and club, can start in-person activity again once they develop an athletic health and safety plan that aligns with this.

Professional

These can start immediately, but if there will be more than 250 people on a site in a green phase county, there must be a COVID-19 safety plan approved by the Department of Health.

What you can expect when Pennsylvania counties move to green phase What you can expect when Pennsylvania counties move to green phase

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