Coronavirus
March 4, 2021
Hello! We are so thrilled all nine of our Southern California Youth Rugby counties have met the adjusted case rate threshold to play outdoor high conact sports. While no counties in our region are in the Orange Tier, which allows for rugby, Governor Newsom has allowed play given the adjusted case rate is met AND weekly Covid testing is performed. We are pleased to announce a solution for weekly testing for our SCYR Member Clubs, which is at no cost to our clubs nor the parents.
SoCal Youth Rugby has selected GreenMCMeds as our COVID Clinical Liaison to provide the testing solution for our members to play safely. They will be our trusted partner to provide weekly PCR COVID-19 testing (via mouth swab) to support safe play during the current pandemic. All SCYR programs wishing to competing this Spring can apply to be a testing site: GreenMCMeds Covid Test Request form. Once you have submitted the form, GreenMCMeds will contact you directly to review requirements and set up your weekly testing program. GreenMCMeds will come to your designated location weekly. There is no charge to the club, nor your families. The location can be indoors or outdoors. GreenMCMeds will review all requirements and needs with you upon your site submittal form.
To reiterate, in order to play within SCYR this Spring, all SCYR member clubs must:
– Designate a Club Covid Manager. This Covid Manager is the liaison to GreenMCMeds and SCYR to ensure compliance and logistics.
– Complete weekly Covid testing for coaches, referees and athletes who are at least 13 years old. To get started with GreenMCMeds and learn specific details, complete this form: Weekly Covid Test Request. GreenMCDMeds will be in contact with you to get underway. FYI — They need at least five days for initial set-up.
– Track who has been tested each week to ensure compliance and to follow up if necessary for contact tracing. Athletes and coaches testing in other leagues or sports are required to test still for SCYR Rugby play.
Soon, we will be releasing our thorough 2021 Return to Competition requirements so clubs can play safely in addition to the testing. We are clarifying and gaining deeper understanding of a few California Department of Public Health parameters and once they are clear, we will open full Spring registration in Sportlomo. Training registration is available in the interim and required for any athletes to be on the field. As well, please submit your Division Intention for the Spring Competition. The Spring Competition Calendar has been updated and flexed to accommodate the CIF Football schedule.
Kind Regards,
Giovanni Vaglietti
SoCal Youth Rugby CEO
February 23, 2021
GREAT NEWS! This is a newsletter chock full of information and with good reason — we are nearly back on the pitch in some counties!
As of today, there are four counties in our SoCal Youth Rugby region below the 14 adjusted case rate parameter as set by California Department of Public Health last week. These four counties are able to begin high contact sport competition on February 26 obliging the CDPH mandates (testing details below). The case rates are updated every Tuesday.
Imperial – 8.9
Kern – 18.5
Los Angeles – 12.3
Orange County – 11.9
Riverside – 16.6
Santa Barbara – 16.9
San Bernardino – 15.2
San Diego – 15
San Luis Obispo – 9.4
Ventura – 16.9
So, what does this mean for SCYR member clubs — in essence, how can you begin play?
1. Club Covid-19 Testing — The state is permitting high contact sports to begin (once meeting the case rate thresh hold as noted above) only if clubs are holding weekly Covid testing for athletes 13 years and older — coaches and volunteers included. SCYR has an avenue for our clubs to hold this testing at your chosen locale (or close to it). Early signs are showing with government funding that this weekly testing may be at minimal cost. There are many details to share about this program. To learn more and get your club on the pitch complete this Covid Manager form. Your club’s Covid Manager will be the responsible party working with SCYR and the testing company each week. The test type is the mouth swab (less invasive than nostril swab) and is 99% accurate.
— Testing is not optional. If you want to play, we have to test. —
2. Division Intention / Fields — Uniquely, we will have all of our divisions in play at once this Spring. These logistics are a bit tricky, so we need to understand what divisions your clubs will be playing in and what fields can host. Please complete this Division Intention Form asap — and or resubmit if your information has changed. If you do not plan to play at all this Spring, please note that as well.
3. Registration — We will be opening full registration this Friday in Sportlomo, the new software and USA Rugby registration format. If your club is not showing on the list of SCYR members, please email Valory at vreed@socalyouthrugby.org and she’ll assist with your banking choices and onboarding. If your families registered for training, they can upgrade to the correct full play division.
4. Spring Competition Schedule — We are flexing our Spring Competition Schedule as needed with the updated CDPH information. Please note important deadlines.
We have much more to share and will be in contact very frequently as we get closer to kids running again on weekends. Please let us know what questions you have in the interim.
Kind Regards,
Giovanni Vaglietti
SoCal Youth Rugby CEO
February 19, 2021
Dear SCYR Members –
The California Department of Public Health released updated Youth Sports Guidelines this morning. We are sifting through these updates and gaining clarification on elements of the guidelines as written. As we move through the process, we will update you on what the guidance means for rugby and what our next steps will be towards our planned spring season for all ages and divisions.
In the meantime we will continue the training registration so we can get all on the field safely and obliging all necessary parameters.
Kind Regards,
Giovanni Vaglietti
SoCal Youth Rugby CEO
December 15, 2020
SCYR Members —
Last fall, we shared with you SoCal Youth Rugby’s participation with The Youth Sports Alliance, a consortium of youth sporting organizations in California, who joined forces in order to address California’s lack of detail regarding youth sports during these Covid months. After extensive communication with the Department of Health and Human Services as well as the Governor’s office, a public announcement of the details honed together was postponed. However, the state has now shared a press release regarding youth and adult sports in California during the Coronavirus pandemic.
In summary, all sports competition is still off until at least January 25, 2021. Per the state, an update on that return-to-play date will be announced on January 4th. Specific sports have been categorized into the state’s colored tier system indicating return-to-play in each county.
PRESS RELEASE: Outdoor and Indoor Youth and Recreational Adult Sports
We hope you are safe and well during this holiday season! We will continue to update you as any bit of information comes our way.
Kind Regards,
Giovanni Vaglietti
SoCal Youth Rugby CEO
November 11, 2020
Dear SCYR Members —
We promised to update you as soon as possible regarding our 2021 Competition Calendar. Notably, we had hoped to begin Girls High School 15s and 7s as well as Youngers in San Diego and possibly Orange County with play this January. With the news yesterday of San Diego returning back to a purple tier and the state of California still working on their youth sport guidelines, we will push back those seasons to a Spring start in 2021. We have updated the 2021 Competition Calendar as such (note Boys and Girls tabs at the bottom of the page). This calendar is still tentative as we must flex with the pandemic and the State’s health mandates.
We thank you for your continued patience. We are committed to playing youth rugby in Southern California again. We will reach out as soon as we learn of a change or receive an update.
Best wishes,
Giovanni Vaglietti
SoCal Youth Rugby CEO
October 19, 2020
Dear SoCal Youth Rugby Members —
As mentioned in last Friday’s email, I have been working closely with a consortium of California youth sports organizations to address the need for specific guidelines from the state to safely return to play during these challenging times. Governor Newsom’s recent tier-system did not address youth sports. As a group, we penned a letter to the Governor noting this omission. We highlighted the need for our kids to be active — not only for their physical health, but for their emotional well being. As well, once the state outlines parameters for a safe return to play, the youth sporting jobs affected by the coronavirus could come back on line. We also shared how some California families are traveling to other states in order to play. This not only transfers the economic impact, but opens the doors for Covid-19 transmission back into California.
Governor Newsom received the letter last week and has already responded positively. He will be outlining California’s Return to Youth Sports specifically in a few short days.
I am proud to be at the helm of such a warmly, connected youth rugby community. My goal throughout this pandemic has been to ensure the safety of our SCYR families, while still maintaining — if not growing, your love of the game.
I will follow up with you upon hearing from Governor Newsom.
Letter to Governor Newsom from Youth Sports Organizations in CA
Kind Regards,
Giovanni Vaglietti
SoCal Youth Rugby, CEO
August 4, 2020
Dear SoCal Youth Rugby Members –
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has just released their “COVID-19 INTERIM GUIDANCE: Youth Sports” parameters. Within our youth rugby community, it is important we oblige these health and safety rules. This paragraph from the CDPH document is the most pertinent to youth rugby:
“For sports that cannot be conducted with sufficient distancing or cohorting, only physical conditioning and training is permitted and ONLY where physical distancing can be maintained. Conditioning and training should focus on individual skill-building (e.g., running drills and body weight resistance training) and should take place outside, where practicable. Indoor physical conditioning and training is allowed only in counties where gyms and fitness centers are allowed to operate indoors.”
Please review the CDPH document in total in ensure your club understands the state’s expectations for the safety of youth athletes:
California Department of Public Health – COVID-19 INTERIM GUIDANCE: Youth Sports
It is a requirement each SCYR Member Club, denote a Covid-19 Manager and submit a Practice Plan. If your club has not submitted these details, please do as soon as possible to meet compliance. As well, the SoCal Youth Rugby Return to Youth Rugby Covid-19 Policies are updated.
We are excited for this step forward in getting our rugby youth active again. We will continue to keep you updated as guidelines progress. Soon, we will release our 2021 SCYR Competition Calendar so our clubs can prepare for the upcoming Youngers, Olders, and High School rugby seasons.
Kind Regards,
Giovanni Vaglietti, SoCal Youth Rugby CEO
June 19, 2020
Dear SCYR Members,
While practices are open for youth sports in a few counties, competition has yet to be allowed. Given this hurdle and the inaccessibility of fields, we sadly will be cancelling the SCYR Summer 7s season. We had high hopes of an abbreviated season, however the variables didn’t fall in place.
With that said, we do hope those in San Diego and Orange County are able to work towards your Return to Practice. As a reminder, you need to uphold the SCYR Covid-19 Policies & Procedures and submit the required practice plan documentation.
We will continue to update you frequently as more information about youth sports becomes available.
Kind Regards,
Giovanni Vaglietti
SoCal Youth Rugby CEO
June 12, 2020
Dear SCYR Members,
California is moving into Stage 3 today, June 12th, in its Resilience Roadmap. Stage 3 opens more entertainment, recreational and sporting opportunities — albeit with guidelines and mandates in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Within Stage 3, Youth Day Camps can resume; though youth sports cannot yet. Youth Day Camps within San Diego County are read as permissible for youth sports practicing. The practice size limit is 12 athletes and a coach. Unfortunately, the other counties have yet to receive this clearance or provide this detail. We will update you as soon as these parameters become available.
With rugby returning to non-contact practice in San Diego County and other SCYR counties likely to follow shortly after, we are sharing with you the SoCal Youth Rugby Covid-19 Policies. These policies must be adhered to. The document also includes helpful tools for your club to navigate the Coronavirus environment. Each county is shaping up to have different interpretations, mandates and timelines, which we must all uphold. We have provided individual county resources for you with links in the document as well.
Return to Youth Rugby in Southern California – SCYR Covid-19 Policies
Please read through this entire document carefully and complete the necessary items such as declaring your Club’s Covid-19 Manager and uploading your club’s Coronavirus Practice and Prevention Plan.
We understand more items to complete in your volunteer roles is challenging. However, these expectations will be common across all sports and are for the safety of the entire rugby community.
We will continue to keep you apprised of playing details as they become available. We are thrilled that kids will soon be safely be on the pitch together in some areas!
Kind Regards,
Giovanni Vaglietti
SoCal Youth Rugby CEO
June 2, 2020
Dear SCYR Members,
First and foremost — we hope you, your families and all in your rugby community are safe and healthy. It has been a bumpy ride this spring and we greatly appreciate your patience as we tried to understand the rugby landscape for our SCYR membership.
California has begun opening various businesses and sectors. Youth sports organizations have been in discussions with the government to put a return to play on the reopening agenda. There are encouraging signs and we hope to receive more clarity next week.
At this time, we remain in Phase 2 of the USA Rugby Return to Play scale — of which gatherings and contact practices are not permitted. We ask that all SCYR Clubs and Teams continue to meet virtually. Local and state guidelines are the indicators of the USA Rugby return to play phases. This means we could have counties in Southern California on different return to action timelines. We encourage all SCYR Clubs to carefully review USA Rugby’s Return to Play Guidelines and utilize this tool for your own club’s Coronavirus safety measures.
If we are able to return to the pitch this summer, we will be looking to start in the month of July and run our traditional Summer 7’s as an abbreviated season. As well, we have been discussing with our postponed Spring 15’s clubs about potential return dates and competition format. We will continue to do so and provide updates as new information comes through from the government, as mentioned previously.
There are still many hurdles to overcome and safety measures to be explored during this process. We will continue to provide the latest updates and details as they become available to us.
Kind Regards,
Giovanni Vaglietti
SoCal Youth Rugby CEO
May 26, 2020
“This information is a proposed framework for USA Rugby Clubs and Members to reference as they determine potential return to play plans amidst the COVID-19 climate.
These Return to Play Guidelines are to be implemented starting June 1, 2020.
The collective information is in reference to general protocol offered by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), World Rugby and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC); tailored to the common activities of USA Rugby Members. It is important to understand that the following outline is not official medical advice, whereby your club and athletes should more definitively refer to the instruction of your local health officials when determining a return to play calendar.
Given the close contact nature of rugby, it is important to note that our sport lives beyond most when it comes to the threat of spreading respiratory diseases. The collective rugby community must remain patient and considerate through this process. While we are all eager to return to rugby, the wellbeing of our friends, family and teammates must remain priority. It is on all of us to acknowledge responsibility and do our part to combat the spread of COVID-19.”
May 5, 2020
Dear SCYR Members,
As many of you are aware, USA Rugby has extended the suspension of rugby play through the end of May. This was expected and in accordance with California and much of the country’s stay-at-home measures. It is encouraging California is very slowly returning to elements of normalcy in the coming weeks, while still keeping good health top of mind.
We are in frequent contact with USA Rugby and our local health agencies to understand our options for the return of youth rugby in Southern California. We realize this may look different in each community and the safety of the SCYR young athletes and their families take precedence.
With that said, we are still planning for 15s (moved from Spring) and Summer 7’s, although potentially in a shortened calendar versus originally planned. We will connect with you once we have more concrete details and a green light to be back on the pitch. The month of May is a transitional month for us all as information changes on a daily basis.
Kind Regards,
Giovanni Vaglietti
SoCal Youth Rugby CEO
March 31, 2020
| First and foremost, we hope you and your families are healthy and have been able to stay home to protect yourselves during this time. After evaluation of current state, federal and local government mandates and school district timelines of return, the current spring season structure will need re-evaluation. Like many, we are itching to get rugby played as soon as we are allowed. We want to provide an outlet for the athletes to be able to feel like their lives return to some normality once this ends. We are are also taking into account those players that are aging out this year, so we want to try to potentially get in some rugby for them. In saying all that, we want to exhaust all options to try and get rugby played for our Older season. We would like to explore shifting the 15s season into the Summer and we need your feedback on the viability of this. Below is a framework we have in mind: * Olders Summer 15s – for BU16, BU18, and GU18 XVs. This would potentially start mid-June. * Youngers Summer 7s as originally scheduled – for U8, U10, U12, BU14. This would alter the Summer 7s to just the youngers age divisions and start in early June. * GU15 and GU18 7s – can fit into either of the above based upon feedback and desire. Before we can build a framework to this new summer model, we need to understand your club’s interest, availability, and viability. Please complete this SUMMER SEASON Survey as soon as possible — the deadline is Friday April 3, 2020. If we build a new Summer 15s program, players already registered for the Spring season will be complete in their registration process for summer. We understand not all families may wish to participate in summer, yet had registered for spring. In that case, we are working to offer a refund and credit program. In conclusion, the Spring Season will not be played in its original schedule and given timeframe. We’d like to push Olders play from spring to summer, all while keeping the Summer 7s for the youngers. Our goal is to have all of our SCYR rugby players happily running in the summer sun after weeks at home. Please complete the summer survey so we can understand your interest and options. SUMMER SEASON SURVEY Best wishes, Giovanni Vaglietti SoCal Youth Rugby CEO |
March 16, 2020
Dear SCYR Members,
Since we last issued our Covid-19 internal measures on March 12th, 2020, USA Rugby subsequently issued a mandate that all rugby related activities (practice, play, etc.) cease for 30 days. The 30-day timeline will take us through April 12th, 2020. It is important to note that with the USA Rugby mandate, no CIPP insurance will be provided for any rugby activities during this timeframe.
SCYR will continue to monitor the rapidly changing Coronavirus environment and work with all the necessary stakeholders to provide the most up-to-date information available to us. We will also continue to take direction from the USA Rugby national office and any health directives from state and local governments as it relates to Southern California specifically.
We urge our rugby community to not only follow the directives that all rugby activities cease through April 12, 2020, but to practice the measures implemented by local and federal officials to manage the spread of the Coronavirus.
Kind Regards,
Giovanni Vaglietti
SoCal Youth Rugby CEO
March 12, 2020
Dear SCYR Members,
Effective immediately, we are postponing all scheduled SCYR rugby until March 23rd, 2020 due the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we are canceling the BU14 Open and Light division finals this coming weekend. We will continue to monitor the fluid and evolving situation on a daily basis with the relevant authorities.
The health and safety of our membership and the wider community is of the utmost importance. In consideration of this and the state government’s mandate, which advises against mass gatherings and events that bring together multiple communities, all these factors have led to SCYR’s decision to postpone rugby activities at this time.
Individual clubs are advised to also cease practice and rugby related activities. We strongly feel in the current climate of uncertainty, sport is secondary to everyone’s health and wellbeing. We will work with the clubs to rearrange schedules for the spring season as the picture becomes clearer over the coming weeks.
Kind Regards,
Giovanni Vaglietti, SoCal Youth Rugby CEO
March 6, 2020
To our Southern California Youth Rugby membership:
As we begin to wrap up the Southern California Youth Rugby Youngers Club season and move into the Olders Divisions this Spring, we want to address the Coronavirus and share best practices during this period. Per USA Rugby’s announcement regarding Covid-19 (Coronavirus), “… the Medical Committee encourages athletes and administrators to continue with scheduled competition in all regions of the United States.”
If any SCYR member athletes, coaches, administrators, or parents are experiencing a fever or respiratory illness, we highly recommend that you stay home and do not participate in the EOS tournament tomorrow. We are also especially encouraging everyone to use their own water bottles. There are school districts that have discontinued the use of shared water bottles until further notice and we believe this is the best practice for tomorrow’s events also.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends if you are experiencing symptoms such as a fever or respiratory illness to call your doctor if you have been in close contact with a person known to have Covid-19 or if you have recently traveled from an area known with widespread or increasing spread of Covid-19.
The following are measures that the CDC recommends as every day preventative actions to help prevent the spread the of respiratory diseases:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.
Within our rugby framework, SCYR and USA Rugby recommends:
- Avoid close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infection.
- Use individual water bottles; do not share them.
- Wash your hands frequently, especially after direct contact with ill people or their environment.
- People with symptoms of acute respiratory infection should practice cough etiquette (maintain distance, cover coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues or clothing, and wash their hands).
- Preferably avoid handshakes when greeting players and opponents.
- Towels, uniforms and training bibs should not be shared, if possible. Frequent laundering of these items is suggested.
- Training equipment should be cleaned following each session.
As well, USA Rugby noted, “If you are intending to travel internationally with a rugby tour, please coordinate with your host destination and work with them on the feasibility and risk prior to departing. We also advise you check with the CDC, World Health Organization and State Department on current travel advisories.”
We will continue to keep you up to date of any changes in the Coronavirus environment and how it may affect our SoCal rugby community.
Best wishes,
Giovanni Vaglietti, SCYR CEO
Resources for SCYR Members about the Coronavirus: