States playing football now

[toma]

If your state is playing now, how you are doing? What protocol were put in place on schools?
What procedures have for officials been implemented?
Using the CJ, masks, whistles (electronic), schools providing access to changing facilities, screening of officials.
In Mass we're waiting until February to start Fall 2. (Breaking out the cold weather gear!)
Any lessons learned to navigate through this would be helpful. 

[hef333]

Started playing in PA September 18th...so we are approaching week 4.  Limit of 250 people in the stadium at once, that includes teams/coaches/officials. 

No facilities available...so we arrive dressed at games, bring lawn chairs and have a pre-game in the parking lot.  Bring our own drinks for halftime.  1 coach/1 captain for toss.  No mock toss.  Halftime each team goes to opposite end zones, we stay middle of field.  No bands. 

No Covid issues to date.  Some officials wear neck gaiters, some do not during play.  We all have them on in case we have to chat with coaches.  Chain crews wear masks.  Coaches have been pretty diligent about staying away from officials except for interaction with head coach.  They are allowing players from 10 to 10 yard lines, coaches still in the 25 to 25 area.

Other than being unusually quieter at games, everything moving along well, we'll see how it works when it gets colder....season is set to end October 30th, 7 game season then playoffs with alot less teams.  PIAA finals Thanksgiving weekend.

[dammitbobby]

Texas here.  No mask requirement for games, recommended for when in conference with coaches, but not required.  Coaches/players on sidelines may or not be wearing masks, depends on the school.  One captain for the toss.

Players can go to the 10, as well as coaches, but most seem to prefer to jam up at the 25.  (There's another thread pointing out that in Texas, this is supposed to only apply if both teams agree prior to KO; however, I can most assuredly tell you at least in my chapter, we don't ask them prior, and we don't care if they go to the 10 or not.  It's a minor point that hasn't been an issue for us (AFAIK) (yet.)

Facilities for us have been pretty consistent - we have the option to arrive dressed, but the games I've worked, I don't think anyone has (we don't use set crews.)

Some teams have bottled water, if they do, they'll always give us a fresh bottle when asked; if they don't have bottled water, I'm either going dehydrated or getting one from their concession stand at halftime, if they don't already have some set up in the dressing room.  Schools have been pretty good about that.  As far as disinfecting, nothing done at all as far as I can tell, but they probably are having their maintenance staff be much more aggressive in sanitizing (just not visible to us.)


 

[HLinNC]

NC- private school members of the NCISAA are playing a limited schedule with no playoffs, public/private school members of the NCHSAA will begin on 2/26/2021 and play a 7 game schedule.  Playoffs have been cut back for this season.

I have worked the last two Fridays at area private schools.  Both have been good games, close til the end, one score affairs.  You can see the players, coaches, and officials are a little rusty with little practice and no scrimmages.  Week 1 our referee asked us to wear a mask until kickoff.  Week 2 R forgot to bring one.  I have not worn one during play either week.  Week 1 I wore a gaiter but took it off at halftime.  Week 2 I wore a loop mask and removed it after pre-game duties were over.  Chain crews are being asked to wear a mask all game.

Week 1 R tried using an e-whistle but grew frustrated with it as he felt the linemen mixing it up in the middle weren't hearing it.  The U had one also.  The R switched to his finger whistle but would get crossed up trying to get the neck gaiter up and down.  He gave up in the 3rd quarter and went back to normal mechanics for the balance of the game.  We were given a lobby area of their athletic building to pre-game and have halftime with bottled water.  We normally come dressed to game sites anyway.   The BJ and U wore their masks during the game.  The LJ and I did not.

Week 2  The visitors had just picked this game up as their originally scheduled opponent cancelled.  It was their opener.  They had great attitude and were thankful to be playing was my perception.  The home team usually has us meet at a maintenance/storage building near the field so that was no change, really.  They brought us Body Armour to drink at halftime.

[PABJNR]

Started playing in PA September 18th...so we are approaching week 4.  Limit of 250 people in the stadium at once, that includes teams/coaches/officials. 

No facilities available...so we arrive dressed at games, bring lawn chairs and have a pre-game in the parking lot.  Bring our own drinks for halftime.  1 coach/1 captain for toss.  No mock toss.  Halftime each team goes to opposite end zones, we stay middle of field.  No bands. 

No Covid issues to date.  Some officials wear neck gaiters, some do not during play.  We all have them on in case we have to chat with coaches.  Chain crews wear masks.  Coaches have been pretty diligent about staying away from officials except for interaction with head coach.  They are allowing players from 10 to 10 yard lines, coaches still in the 25 to 25 area.

Other than being unusually quieter at games, everything moving along well, we'll see how it works when it gets colder....season is set to end October 30th, 7 game season then playoffs with alot less teams.  PIAA finals Thanksgiving weekend.

Did you see that they changed this just yesterday, starting Friday outdoor events are permitted 25% capacity for occupancy up to 2000, 20% for occupancy from 2001-10,000 and 15% for occupancy over 10,000 wiith a limit of 7,500 so there will likely be more than 250 at games this week.

[bama_stripes]

We are in Week 6 in Alabama.  Some teams have cancelled their entire seasons, other have rescheduled or forfeited individual games due to COVID outbreaks.  As of now, playoffs will proceed as scheduled.

Attendance is limited.  I haven’t seen a visiting band all season.  We go dressed to game sites and take our own water.  Masks are worn up until kickoff, but are optional during play. A few of our officials tried the e-whistle but quickly went back to traditional.

[hef333]

Yes, I did see that for this week..it's really weird environment the first 3 weeks with no fans or bands...takes alot away from the experience..never thought I'd say I kinda miss the bands!!  Unfortunately the game I have this week is between 2 small schools where we usually count the fans on each side to see who has more....last year it was 31-18...but that was in the rain!  ...at least we could hear the fans helping us to make calls pretty clearly...makes it far easier to officiate when the fans are helping 

[dammitbobby]

I had my first game officiating in the rain a month ago, a cold front came through and it was 45 and pouring.  Don't know how you guys do it in places where it rains a lot, could barely hold onto my whistle my hands were so cold!

[SCHSref]

SC here. Friday will be our "3rd" week. We have to bring our own water bottles. We are supposed to wear a mask if we speak with coaches. We usually wear them during pre-game duties. Some places don't have large enough rooms for us to allow for social distancing, so we can come dressed and have our pre-game outside.

Covid guidelines in place for teams...I had my first "casualty" this Friday..one team is sitting out and game will be rescheduled.

We are on a region only schedule with 4 weeks of playoffs. Maximum of 7 regular season games, unless I am mistaken.