State Allows Outdoor Youth Sports To Resume In Napa County

NAPA COUNTY, CA — Outdoor youth sports will soon be allowed to resume in Napa and several other California counties that meet a threshold for coronavirus cases, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday.

Outdoor sports like football and baseball will be allowed to resume as early as next Friday, Newsom said during a briefing in Alameda County.

While indoor sports competitions are still prohibited, outdoor youth sports will be allowed in counties that have case rates of fewer than 14 new cases per day per 100,000 residents.

As of Friday, 27 counties across the state met that threshold, including Alameda, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Sonoma counties.

"The fact that kids are not even in school and don't even have the ability to organize around sports, it's impacting them in profound and significant and, in many cases, deleterious ways," Newsom said.

Let Them Play CA, a group of youth sports coaches and student-athletes across the state that have advocated for sports to resume, lauded Newsom and state legislators for lifting the ban on outdoor sports.

"From the moment the governor called us to say he would work with us to help get sports back for kids, it has been a methodical march to get to this wonderful place," Let Them Play CA said in a joint statement with the Golden State High School Football Coaches Community.

"It has not been easy; there were many bumps along the way, but good people kept working together to create a positive outcome for our most 'essential business'- our kids."

State Publishes Guidelines For Youth, Adult Sports

The state provided guidance Friday about which sports are allowed to return to play in which tiers, based on the level of contact and risk of COVID-19 transmission. The guidance becomes effective Feb. 26 and provides direction on outdoor and indoor youth and recreational adult sports activities to support a safe environment for these sports. The guidance applies to all organized youth sports and recreation— including K-12 school- and community-sponsored programs, and privately-organized clubs and leagues — and adult recreational sports.

Because Napa County remains in the Purple Tier, moderate outdoor sports are permitted under the state's guidelines, including Archery Badminton (singles); Biking; Bocce; Corn hole; Cross country; Dance (no contact); Disc golf; Equestrian events (including rodeos) that involve only a single rider at a time; Fencing; Golf Ice and roller skating (no contact); Lawn bowling; Martial arts (no contact); Physical training programs (e.g., yoga, Zumba, Tai chi); Pickleball (singles); Rowing/crew (with 1 person); Running; Shuffleboard; Skeet shooting; Skiing and snowboarding; Snowshoeing; Swimming and diving; Tennis (singles); Track and field; Walking and hiking.

Outdoor high-contact sports — basketball, football, rugby, soccer, water polo, ice hockey, lacrosse — are not permitted until the orange tier but can be played in the purple or red tiers with an adjusted case rate equal to or less than 14 per 100,000 under certain conditions, including Informed Consent and Testing. Regular and postseason antigen or PCR testing of sports participants and coaches is required weekly; if competing, testing must be performed and results made available within 24 hours of play.

Irrespective of outdoor or indoor, case rate or sport played, the state said the following general guidance requirements must be adhered to at all times:

• Face coverings to be worn when not participating in the activity (e.g., on the sidelines).
• Face coverings to be worn by coaches, support staff and observers at all times, and in compliance with the CDPH Guidance for the Use of Face Coverings.
• Observers maintain at least 6 feet from non-household members.
• No sharing of drink bottles and other personal items and equipment.
• Mixing with other households prior to and post any practice or competition must strictly adhere to current gathering guidance.
• Limit indoor sports activities (practice, conditioning) to comply with capacity limits (which shall include all athletes, coaches, and observers) indicated in current CDPH Gym & Fitness Center Guidance Capacity.
• Associated indoor activities for the team (e.g., dinners, film study) are prohibited if engaged in competition given evidence that transmission is more likely to occur in these indoor higher risk settings.
• Teams must not participate in out-of-state games and tournaments; several multistate outbreaks have been reported around the nation, including California residents.

The guidance announced Friday does not apply to collegiate or professional sports, nor does it apply to community events, such as marathons, half-marathons, and endurance races, state officials said.

Further, local health departments and school districts may have stricter rules and should be consulted to confirm what is allowed.

Bay City News Service contributed to this report.