During practices in the Spring and Fall Seasons at Taurus Field, these safety guidelines are expected to be followed:
Players:
- Only registered players with the Fort Falcons are allowed on the field during the duration of the Spring and Fall Season.
- Players MUST wear a mouth guard while practicing or playing in a game at all times.
- Players should have cleats (not metal) while on the field
- Players are ONLY permitted water while on the field
- Players are NOT to be wearing hoodies under their pads during practices or games
- No jewelry of any kind is to be worn on the field
- If a player is hurt following a concussion or injury, we will follow the Return to Play Protocol which are put in place to ensure player safety after a concussion, it is a series of 5 steps the player must complete increasing intensity before returning to play. (Please see below for the steps)
- At the beginning of each season, ALL players will receive baseline concussion testing by the trainers
- Rule of Two will be followed during all practices to ensure player safety by never leaving them alone with any staff member away from the field, this will be enforced in settings like training/first aid room, locker rooms, etc.
Parents:
- At least one Parent of U8, U10, and U12 for Spring Season & at least one parent of U9 and U11 for the Fall Season are expected to be at the field for the duration of practice
- For insurance purposes, parents are expected to observe practice from the bleacher side of the field. Parents are not permitted to cross the barriers of the field.
- Parents may sit on the grass areas on either side of the bleachers, behind the cement path, or in the bleachers.
- Parents MUST complete the medical forms and return to the manager/trainer before the first game of the each season
Siblings of Athletes:
- Any siblings of Falcon Athletes are not permitted on the field for insurance purposes
- Siblings cannot be on the cement path around the field during practice times just in case a football comes in their direction or a player runs into them
- For the safety of all children at the field, please do not ride bikes or scooters on the bleachers as this can be dangerous and slippery
Who is allowed on the field?
- Registered players to Fort Sask. Minor Football
- Coaches
- Trainers
- Managers
- Board Members
When do Falcons practice/play?
- Football is an all weather sport, practice/games will happen during all weather (snow, wind, rain, sun)
- Fort Sask. Minor Football follows the Standard Lightning 30-30 rule ~ this involves counting the seconds between seeing lightning and hearing thunder, and waiting 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder
- If lightning happens during practice, all players will be moved indoor to the locker rooms and will review the playbook, strategies, etc.
- Fort Sask. Minor Football follows the Air Quality Index as well as CDMFA guidelines, if the Air Quality index is 7 or higher, we will not practice/play
- Please stay connected to RAMP when these situations occur to be notified of practices or games being delayed or canceled
Return to Play Steps:
Step 1: No activity, complete rest: if no symptoms are observed for one full day, proceed to step 2
Step 2: Low-intensity continuous exercise, such as walking, jogging or cycling, if no symptoms are observed, proceed to step 3
Step 3: Low Intensity, sport specific activity without contact, if no symptoms are observed, proceed to step 4
Step 4: Moderate - intensity, sport specific training activities without body contact, if no symptoms are observed, proceed to step 5
Step 5: Regular practice with body contact if it is required by the sport (no hard impact); if no symptoms are observed, proceed to step 6
Step 6: Return to regular training and to competition.
**If symptoms do recur, the athlete must immediately stop any form of activity and be examined by a medical doctor before resuming training or competition.
