August 21, Member Update
Saskatchewan Soccer and member organizations continue to adhere to all Government of Saskatchewan Public Health Orders regarding the COVID 19 pandemic.
Return to Soccer Updates
There are no updates to report to the Return to Soccer Plan.
This week, SSA coordinated and hosted a meeting with various provincial sport governing bodies to discuss return to play and concerns with the present guidelines for sport in our province. Reps from Football, Basketball, Rugby, Volleyball, Ringette, Broomball, Hockey, and Lacrosse joined SSA to share their thoughts. The key take way was a collective desire to amend current sport guidelines and receive additional clarity from the Business Response Team as we approach fall and winter programming.
| Rules for management of Mini Leagues: | |
| | Clarity on coaches, referees and players being restricted to one mini league while participants are allowed to play multiple sports, attend school, go shopping etc. |
| Ability to adjust mini leagues after a 14-day break. | |
| Ability to travel among communities and invite neighbouring communities into a mini league so that sports participation can occur province wide. | |
| Un-sanctioned/private sports promo groups appear to have an advantage over organized sports. Guidelines that limit organized sports from hosting camps and clinics (and championships) are inconsistent considering the manner in which private operators offer this type of programming. | |
| Inconsistency in decisions and what is being communicated from one sport to the next. | |
| A desire to have guidelines for organized sport match the present-day realities and a desire to understand if guidelines will change once school returns. For example: Kids will be bussed from community to community on a daily basis, but communities are not allowed to travel to allow sport to occur. E.g. Hundreds of people enjoy life at the public beaches where social distancing does not occur, yet sport guidelines restrict athletes from enjoying the benefit that comes from sport participation and competition. | |
We have requested a meeting with senior leadership at the Business Response Team to seek clarity on concerns that have been identified.
Also attending the meeting were reps from Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association. SHSAA is preparing for the potential of fall school sports to occur. Saskatoon school districts recently announced that they would not offer fall sports. SHSAA has since come out and provided details on their fall programming:
School begins Sept. 8th, one week later than originally planned
Golf has been cancelled
Students are limited to participation in one sport
Cross Country & Football - begin Sept. 28
Soccer - begins Sept 28 and runs to Oct. 31. Soccer will be played in mini-league formats and will not involve provincial championships.
SHSAA is also seeking clarity from the provincial government on the guidelines for sport in school. Revisions to the SHSAA school Return to Play document remain ongoing. Just as within SSA, each school district will ultimately determine if they will offer sport.
Despite the concerns expressed by SSA Membership and other sports we encourage all active organizations to continue to keep the safety of your participants first and foremost in your decision making. Manitoba Soccer recently announced that someone involved in youth soccer in Winnipeg has tested positive for COVID-19. As more participation occurs in sport it is likely that more cases will be announced. This serves as a strong reminder, that, despite concerns with the current guidelines, they exist to keep us all safe. We strongly encourage everyone to continue to follow the present guidelines. By doing so you limit any liability concerns for your organization and keep everyone safe.
Discussions will continue at many levels about the future under COVID as school returns and while we have no updates to report at this time, we will continue to ensure membership is informed when updates become available.
Member Discussions
The next Member Discussion is Tuesday, September 8th at 8:00 PM - Click here to register.
All Member Discussion recordings are available on our YouTube Channel.
Registration Deadlines
The Outdoor 2020 registration deadline is September 30. The deadline includes all registrations for players, coaches and officials received during the outdoor season.
Please submit the completed Registrar Report and fees no later than September 30. The amended registration fees and Registrar Report are available on the SSA website. If you have any questions, contact registrar@sasksoccer.com.
Canada Summer Games Information Release
Information Package and Coaching Applications are available on the SSA Website.
National Coaches Week
September 19-27 is National Coaches Week and one of the ways the Coaches Association of Saskatchewan will be celebrating is by offering free NCCP courses.
Registration for all courses will open on August 22 at 8:01 a.m. on the CAS website and will be available on a first come, first served basis. Attendance is limited for each course.
Those who sign up for a course will be reimbursed following the course's completion. ICOP coaches may complete a Participant Profile Form in advance of registration if they prefer to use a coupon to register instead of being reimbursed.
Upcoming Courses:
Saturday, September 19
Planning a Practice (Day 1 of 2) - 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Prevention and Recovery (Day 1 of 2) - 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Sunday, September 20
Planning a Practice (Day 2 of 2) - 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Prevention and Recovery (Day 2 of 2) - 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Monday, September 21
Make Ethical Decisions - 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Leading Drug Free Sport - 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Tuesday, September 22
Teaching and Learning (Day 1 of 2) - 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Psychology of Performance (Day 1 of 2) - 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Wednesday, September 23
Teaching and Learning (Day 2 of 2) - 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Psychology of Performance (Day 2 of 2) - 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Thursday, September 24
Basic Mental Skills - 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Manage a Sport Program - 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Friday, September 25
Design a Basic Sport Program (Day 1 of 2) - 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Coaching and Leading Effectively (Day 1 of 3) - 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, September 26
Design a Basic Sport Program (Day 2 of 2) - 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Coaching and Leading Effectively (Day 2 of 3) - 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Sunday, September 27
Empower+ - 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Coaching and Leading Effectively (Day 3 of 3) - 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
SSA Calendar of Events & Deadlines
Recordings of past webinars and COVID 19 member calls can be found on our YouTube Channel.
August 25 - Member Orientation (for new member organization contacts)
August 31 - Club Licensing - QSP, PTSO 1, PTSO 2 application deadline. All information must be submitted by this time
September 8 - Member Discussion
September 16 - Registration deadline for Canada Soccer C-Licence (Online)
September 19-27 - National Coaches Week
September 23 - Registration deadline for Canada Soccer B-Licence Part 1 (Online)
September 30 - MAP Grant Follow-up Deadline
September 30 - Final Outdoor Registrar Report and Payment Deadline
October 31 - SSA’s Female Development, Referee Development and Coach Professional Development Deadlines
Major Events for 2021
Multisport Games and re-scheduled date confirmations:
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Canada Soccer Nation Inside
Every Friday - Canada Soccer Podcast
BE SAFE! BE THE SOLUTION!
As a reminder, please continue to take care of yourself, your families, and others.
| Wash your hands frequently (it is the single most effective way of reducing infection spread). |
| Practice other good hygiene habits: do not touch your face/eyes/mouth with your hands and cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough (ideally with a disposable tissue or the crease of your elbow). |
| Clean and disinfect frequently touched workspace surfaces. |
| Maintain good general health (eat a balanced diet, get enough sleep, and move in moderation). |
| Stay home if you are sick |
