ASAA Spring 2021 Season of Play

Joint Statement on the GOA Return to Play Guidelines

From  Alberta Schools' Athletic Association and Football Alberta

SEASON OF PLAY

The spring season of play for high school football in the Province of Alberta is set for March 15 - June 30, 2021, as per the request passed by the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association (ASAA) Executive Committee in December.  At this time, the following items should be strictly understood:
·    Any community football programs that include high school-aged players who will have no affiliation with any high school football team are free to start prior to that date.
·    Any football program that includes high school-aged players with any affiliation with a high school football program must wait until the ASAA March 15 season start date.
·    All football programs that intend to operate in the spring regardless of their affiliation are subject to the return to play guidelines designed by Football Alberta in response to the directives from Alberta Health Services via the SPAR unit of the Ministry of Culture, Multiculturalism, and Status of Women.  See below for further details.
·    Any program that intends to operate in the spring as a high school football team MUST have clearance from their respective school jurisdiction and individual school administration prior to beginning activity. Regardless of what allowance for activity is passed by the GoA, AHS, ASAA or Football Alberta, high school football teams are still subject to the approval of their school jurisdiction and individual school administration. You are required to ensure you have clear permission from those levels prior to participating.
·    There will be no Provincials for any football activity in the spring. Any high school “leagues” that might come about offering a schedule of games should check with their respective school administrations to see how deep into June you would be allowed to progress (for example, Calgary Board of Education blackout dates begin June 9, 2021).  All community based football programs are not restricted in that matter but would be subject to the Football Alberta July blackout for football should they consider progressing too far. 
·    A request was submitted to the ASAA office to allow a one-time-only exemption to the policy that restricts the percentage of players on a spring community-based team needing to be comprised of no more than 60% from one high school. Approved ASAA Memo 
 
INSURANCE ISSUES

• Any teams running as a high school team in a high school league would be subject to the insurance offered by their school board.  They would be free to purchase additional insurance from Football Alberta but it would not be necessary.  No membership fees would be charged for high school spring teams by Football Alberta either.
• Any teams running as a high school team that would play in a community based high school league should check with their school and jurisdiction administration to ensure their insurance covers non-sanctioned league participation.  If there is any doubt, teams would be recommended to purchase Football Alberta insurance via individual memberships ($40/person) to ensure all personnel would be covered for the spring.
• All community-based teams would be expected to take out the Football Alberta insurance via individual membership as per usual.
• In the situations where established community associations or brand new spring community associations would ask to use high school equipment (either pads, helmet, etc. or practice equipment), they should contact Tim Enger at the Football Alberta office at tenger@telus.net and ask for an “Additional Insured” form from their insurance provider which would name either the school or school board (your choice) as additionally insured for their loan of the equipment.  This would get them up to $5,000,000 in general liability should lawsuits emerge.  Football Alberta would provide these Additional Insured forms at no cost to either the community association or high school, but the request must come from a member community association.

GUIDANCE FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY - STEP TWO

To access the SPAR Guidance on Step 2 of the GoA "Path Forward" plan, click HERE. 
There were to be some changes to Step 1 in terms of youth sport as of March 1, 2021, but that has been pushed back to Step 3 that will not occur any earlier than March 22.