Lake Washington Schools Share Season 3 Spectator Plan For Sports

KIRKLAND, WA — The Lake Washington School District on Monday shared an updated rulebook for welcoming spectators at high school sports, with a few more opportunities for families to cheer on their athletes in person.

Under the "Season 3" plan, designed to meet the state's latest public health guidance, overall capacity at school sporting venues is capped at 400 indoors, including competitors and staff members, and limited to 600 outdoors.

"It is essential that everyone does their part to keep student-athletes, coaching staff, event personnel and any allowed spectators safe during this year’s high school sports seasons," the district wrote. "Similar to Seasons one and two, there will be additional restrictions in week one to ensure policies and procedures are properly implemented for our teams."

District officials said the totals were likely to be lower at certain venues, which are evaluated separately based on seating arrangements and their ability to ensure adequate physical distancing between groups.

Lake Washington shared a list of general practices it will use during home and away games for six sports, with most allowing student-athletes to bring up to two family members:

1. Badminton
   1. The home team will be allowed two family members per participant.
2. Baseball/Softball
   1. Both home and visiting teams will be allowed two family members per participant.
3. Golf
   1. Golf courses may not be able to accommodate spectators this season.
   2. Teams will communicate individual course policies.
4. Soccer
   1. Visiting teams will be allowed two family members per participant.
   2. Home teams will be allowed four family members per participant.
   3. Home team pre-registered senior students will be admitted as capacity and physical distancing restrictions allow.
5. Tennis
   1. Home and visiting teams will be allowed two family members per participant.
6. Track & Field
   1. Home and visiting teams will be allowed two family members per participant.

All spectator events will require no admission, and each visitor will need to complete temperature checks, wear face coverings and remain distanced from people outside the household.

Other rules include:

• Spectators will be asked to arrive at designated time only
• Spectators will be asked to enter and exit from specified locations
• Spectator attendance recorded for contact tracing
• Spectators will be asked to wear a mask/face covering at all times
• Spectators will be asked to remain six feet apart from anyone not in their own family at all times
• Spectators will be asked to leave a facility immediately when an event ends, no lingering in the facility
• Areas outside a facility’s fences are not the responsibility of the event management staff

Families can read more about the plan on the school district's website and review the state's full guidance for all spectator events on the governor's website.