All-

Spring 2021 Season is just around the corner.  Our first town classic games for the U11-U15 age groups will be played April 11th.  Each age group for our U11-U15 will have two Teams (Blue & White) which we do our best to divide evenly.  Our first two weekends of games will be played away because historically our fields are unplayable early on.   We currently are not sure when we will be able to access our grass fields.  We always hope to be out there practicing by the last week of March but history has told us to rent some indoor time just in case.  This page will be updated once we reserve field time.

COVID GUIDELINES

MBYLL 2021 Return To Play Guide
In December 2020, the MASSACHUSETTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS
released its most recent updated document for: WORKPLACE SAFETY and REOPENING STANDARDS FOR
BUSINESSES and OTHER ENTITIES PROVIDING YOUTH and ADULT AMATEUR SPORTS ACTIVITIES. Lacrosse
practices and games can be played at this time, if they meet the standards outlined in the document.
It is imperative that before any organized lacrosse activities take place, that your town program contact your
local board of health, and whomever is in charge of opening fields in your town and follow any local
guidelines and restrictions in place for gatherings and use of the fields.
RESOURCE LINKSSTATE OF MASSACHUSETTS REOPENING STANDARDS FOR SUPERVISD YOUTH SPORTS LEAGUEShttps://www.mass.gov/doc/safety-standards-for-youth-and-adult-amateur-sports-activities-phase-iii-step-ieffective/download
Sadler Sports & Recreation (MBYLL insurance provider) – Coronavirus Risk Management -
https://www.sadlersports.com/coronavirus-risk-management-in-sports/
CDC Considerations for Youth Sports Administrators- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-
ncov/community/schools-childcare/youth-sports.html
Sadler Sports & Recreation and Go4Ellis Webinar Recording on Return to Play –
https://www.sadlersports.com/blog/covid-19-return-play
ASPEN INSTITUTE PROJECT PLAY RETURN TO PLAY Covid-19 Risk Assessment Tool –
https://www.aspenprojectplay.org/return-to-play
GUIDE FOR TOWN PROGRAMS TO MEET STATE RETURN TO PLAY STANDARDS1) COVID-19 Coordinator: Appoint a COVID-19 coordinator to oversee all aspects of the COVID-19 risk
management plan including customization, implementation, monitoring, updates/changes,
communications, staff training, regulatory compliance, documentation, and answering staff, player,
parent/guardian and spectator questions about COVID-19 concerns.
2) Contact your local officials (board of health, town hall, field managers, etc) for approval on using
fields, and any local restrictions or guidelines your town has that are in addition to the state.
3) Players on the Field for Practices/Games: No more than 25 players on the field at one time.
4) Field Complexes: For facilities with multiple fields, the 25 player limit per field limitation for Outdoor
Competitions shall apply per playing field provided that there is adequate spacing for at least six feet
social distancing for all individuals, including those at adjacent fields.
5) Total Spectators at Practices/Games: No more than 50 people excluding players, coaches, referees or
facility/activity workers in the aggregate in, on, or surrounding any surface/playing area at any one
time, provided that there is adequate space for spectators to maintain at least six feet social
distancing.
6) Waiver / Release: Waiver/release with COVID-19 language form should be signed by all parents and
players, league staff and team staff including coaches and volunteers prior to participation. CLICK HERE
for a Waiver/release template that can be used.
7) Signage: COVID-19 warning signage should be conspicuously posted at entry, exit, and in bathrooms
warning of COVID-19 risks and what steps can be taken to reduce such risks such as social distancing,
use of face coverings, frequent hand washing and/or use of hand sanitizer, and enhanced risks to those
with underlying conditions and over the age of 65. Contact your town/field manager as they may
already be doing this for town fields.
8) Player/Coach/Spectator Flow: Town Programs should designate, map out, and mark (if possible) the
flow pattern for players/coaches and spectators to reduce people entering and exiting complexes and
playing areas at the same location.
9) Team Benches: Town should consider putting team benches on opposite sides of the field to limit
contact/interaction between teams on the sidelines and while substituting. This should be done when
appropriate spectator viewing areas can also be put in place that do not interfere with the teams on
the sidelines. Programs should expand the substitution boxes, working with the refs to ensure safety.
Team benches should be expanded, marked or conned to keep players at least 6 feet apart while on
the sidelines.
10) Spectator Viewing Areas: Towns should have designated viewing areas mapped and marked, when
possible. All spectator areas should allow for individuals to remain at least 6 feet apart. Whenever
possible, markings/cones should be used to designate 6 feet spacing for spectators.
11) Communication to Coaches, Parents & Players: A document with these points should be emailed to all
staff, players (if appropriate), and parents/guardians prior to participation in the first practice outlining
what your program is doing to comply with state and local guidelines, and to keep all of the players,
coaches and parents safe while participating in any practices.. In addition, this document should be
posted on your website and any applicable social media.
12) Players and Coaches Wellness Checks: To participate or attend, organizers should ensure that
participants, volunteers, coaches and spectators must show no signs or symptoms of COVID-19 for 14
days. Coordinating and collecting Wellness Check info can be done through Google Forms, emails, or
by using paid services. Current list of symptoms is available here:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html
13) Stay Home When Appropriate: Players, staff, parents/guardians, and spectators should stay home
when they are showing signs of COVID-19, have a temperature, or have had close contact with a
person with COVID-19. See below for State Guidelines/MBYLL Rules on when and for how long
players/coaches should not attend practice or games.
14) Spread Out Scheduling Of Practices/Games: Activity Organizers should set Competition schedules
with a time buffers to prevent the overlap of competitions or overlap of players/spectators from
adjacent fields/surfaces/courts at any one time and to allow for disinfecting of equipment and cleaning
of commonly touched surfaces, if necessary. Games should end in a draw if time expires.
15) Everyone Arrives Ready to Play: Must promote an “arrive, play, and leave” mentality and ensure that
individuals are not congregating in common areas or parking lots before, during or following practices
or events (such as tailgating). Players, coaches and officials should arrive for practices/games dressed
to play.
16) Stick to the Field: While in-person, team-based social events are often considered an integral
component of recreational sports leagues, more frequent, extended physical or close contact increases
the risk of COVID-19 transmission between team members should an outbreak occur. In the interest of
reducing preventable transmission events, Activity Organizers must ensure that team-based social
gatherings do not occur until all other COVID-19-specific restrictions regulating sports leagues are fully
lifted.
17) Creative Sportsmanship: Athletes should be discouraged from high fives, fist bumps or other social
contact during practice.
18) Practice Activities: While inter-team scrimmages and limited contact is permitted, MBYLL is suggesting
all practices be non-contact and be social distant to the best of the coaches ability. Emphasis should be
on individual skill development.
19) Player Equipment: Player provided equipment should be kept in a bag and should be spaced to
encourage social distancing. Players should bring their own disinfectant wipes to wipe down their own
equipment between use.
20) Shared Equipment: The use of team provided equipment should be limited to the greatest extent
possible and should be disinfected between each use if possible. Balls should be disinfected whenever
possible and an adequate supply should be kept on hand.
21) Food and Beverages: No shared food or drink may be provided during any activities for participants or
spectators except by concessions and food service providers following the Safety Standards for
Restaurants. Participants and spectators should only drink from their own containers. Organizers must
provide individual, dedicated water bottles for children if they do not have their own.
22) Proper Hygiene: Participants and coaches must achieve proper hand hygiene at the beginning and end
of all activities, either through handwashing with soap and water or by using an alcohol-based hand
sanitizer.
23) Facility/Complex Cleaning Protocols: Organizers should understand the cleaning and disinfection
protocols employed at the facility they are using and should raise any issues to the operator or Local
Board of Health.
24) Concession Stands: Any concessions or food service must follow the Safety Standards for Restaurants.
25) Transportation: Activity Organizers, participants, staff, coaches, volunteers and guardians/parents
must also comply with all relevant transportation safety requirements, including but not limited to,
ensuring that staff, volunteers, and parents/guardians are not transporting athletes that are not
immediate family members. In the event that transportation of non-family members becomes
necessary, all parties in the vehicle must wear cloth face coverings or face masks and to the extent
possible have external air circulating in the vehicle such as opening a window.
MBYLL NEW COVID-19 RULES FOR 2021
Communication, cooperation, understanding and flexibility will be the keys to a successful Spring season. The
goal is not to win games this season, but have all games be played due to safe protocols and standards being
met prior to the start of the season and in-season.
1) Home Team Coach: Must communicate via email to the visiting team coach the week of the game.
Suggested to do so by Wednesday each week. Coach must let the visiting team know of any local
restrictions or directions for parking and drop/off pick up that are unique due to covid-19. This must be
done even if there are no local rules/restrictions. Examples of local restrictions are, but not limited to:
Number of spectators per player is 1 or 0; equipment bags are not allowed on the field; specific
locations for spectators.
2) Visiting Team Coach: Must reply to communication from home team coach, prior to Sunday,
acknowledging receipt of local rules and restrictions.
3) Cooperation, Understanding & Flexibility: In the event either or both teams are down players due to
players in quarantine, AND it is still safe via CDC and MA State Board of Health Guidelines, for the
remainder of the team to play for the teams to work together to make a game happen. While we do
not want to inter-mingle teams, games can be played with fewer numbers of players on the field.
Games can look to be rescheduled only if both teams are in agreement that the scheduled game
cannot be played safely.
4) Mandatory Facial Masks: Facial masks to be worn by all participants during active play except for
individuals with a documented medical condition or disability that makes them unable to wear a face
covering.
• For purposes of this guidance, a facial mask means a cloth facial covering that completely covers
the nose and mouth and secures with loops around a player’s ears. Masks with exhalation valves
or vents (including mesh masks) are not allowed. Participants must wear facial coverings on the
bench or sidelines at all times and in any huddles or time-outs from active play.
• Participants should take frequent facial covering breaks when they are out of proximity to other
players, using caution to avoid touching the front or inside of the face covering by using the ties or
ear loops to remove and replace. 
• Facial mask requirement also applies to all spectators and chaperones, coaches, staff, referees,
and other officials.
5) Face-Offs: For the start of the season, there will be NO face-offs. MBYLL will reevaluate allowing FaceOffs on May 1st and announce a determination at that time.
• Start of Game
o Prior to the start of each game there will be a coin toss to determine the team with the
first possession. The team winning the coin toss will start with possession on their
offensive side of midfield, no more than 5 yards from the midfield line.
• Following Goals the team scored upon will be awarded possession
o L1/2 & L3/4 – possession will be given on their offensive side of the field, no more than 5
yards from the midfield line. Play will start when signaled by the referees whistle
o L5/6 & L7/8 – possession will be given at goal line extended in the defensive end of the
field. Play will start when signaled by the referees whistle.
• Start of 2nd Half
o The team that started the game on defense will be awarded possession to start the 2nd half
of the game.
o The team will start with possession on their offensive side of midfield, no more than 5
yards from the midfield line.
6) Body Checks/Player Contact/Loose Ball Scrums
• L1/2 & L3/4 already have a no body check rule. Referees will emphasize this rule for 2021.
• Referees will be given complete discretion to blow the whistle, stopping play, at any time they feel
players are in close contact for an extended period of time. Examples, but not limited to, are:
o Loose Balls – when two or more players are in close contact attempting to pick up a
ground ball. Alternate possession will be awarded
o On Ball Play – when an offensive player with the ball and defender are in close contact
during play for an extended period of time.
o Off Ball Play – When two or more opponents are working for position and are in close
contact for extended period of time.
• Referees will give verbal warnings whenever possible before stopping play.
• If a referee warns and/or stops play for close contact from the same player multiple times, at the
referees discretion they may flag a player (delay of game/unsportsmanlike conduct).
7) Parent/Guardian Spectator Limits
• Each player shall have no more than 2 parents/guardians/adults as spectators at any one
game/practice as long as the maximum number of spectators at the field is no more than 50.
o MBYLL is highly recommending that only 1 parent/guardian/adult per player be spectators
at any one game/practice.
o A town’s local board of health rules on spectators may supersede this spectator rule, only
in the effect that it limits the number of spectators in total or to 1 or less per player.
8) Contact Tracing
• From State Guidelines: Activity Organizers must keep rosters of all participants with appropriate
contact information and make that information available upon request by state officials, local
boards of health or their authorized agents. Should an Activity Organizers fail to completely and
promptly cooperate with health officials, operators and organizers risk closure or suspension of a
league’s practices and/or games.
• Each team must keep an attendance sheet for every practice and game.
o Attendance sheet must list all players on the team with the name of at least 1
parent/guardian and phone number for the parent/guardian.
o Attendance sheet must be dated for each practice/game and marked off as to which
players are in attendance.
o Attendance sheet must be kept for at least 14 days from date of practice/game.
• Games
o Following each game, the Visiting Coach must provide the Home Coach with their
attendance sheet for that game.
▪ It is recommended that the Visiting Coach make 2 identical attendance sheets and
keep 1 for themselves.
o Game Attendance Sheets must be kept by the home team for a minimum of 14 days.
9) Close Contact and Quarantine Guidelines: MBYLL is following CDC and Mass Department of Health
Guidelines as it relates to defining being a close contact and minimum quarantine periods for anyone
who was a close contact or tested positive for covid-19. As always, you should follow the guidance of
your healthcare provider and contact your local board of health with any questions.
a. Close contact is defined by the CDC as someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person
for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from 2 days before
illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the
time the patient is isolated.
b. If a player or coach is considered exposed to someone with covid-19 due to close contact, or
they have tested positive for covid-19, they must follow the MA State Board of Health
Guidelines for quarantine before returning to practice or games. See the guidance here -
https://www.mass.gov/guidance/information-and-guidance-for-persons-in-quarantine-due-tocovid-19