Pasadena Following State Guidelines on Resumption Of Youth Sports

[UPDATED] The rate of new COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County fell far enough Tuesday to allow for a resumption of youth competition in sports such as football, soccer and water polo, but with many schools still closed due to the pandemic, it was unclear when student-athletes will return to action.

But  the resumption of youth sports comes with guidelines.

“We are following the state guidance with additional requirements as listed in the Pasadena youth sports protocol,” said Pasadena Public Information Officer Lisa Derderian. “This is being revised and posted by Friday, Feb 26.”

According to Derderian, no competition will be allowed until state guidelines take effect. 

According to those guidelines, there will be no interstate travel for athletics, games will be restricted to no more than one competitive game per day, which prohibits multi team tournaments. Teams also cannot compete against teams outside of Los Angeles County. 

Test requirements will be in place, face masks will be required even during play and no observers will be allowed except the bare minimum, if needed for age appropriate adult supervision.

The state issued revised guidelines last week allowing a resumption of youth sports as of Friday in counties where the average daily rate of new COVID-19 infections drops below 14 per 100,000 residents. Updated numbers released by the state Tuesday put Los Angeles County’s adjusted rate at 12.3 per 100,000 residents.

Orange County also met the threshold, with its case rate falling to 11.9 per 100,000 residents.

Counties that reach the 14-case threshold can resume basketball, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, rugby, rowing/crew, soccer and water polo youth competition.

Resuming football, rugby and water polo will also require weekly COVID testing of players — aged 13 and above — and coaches, with test results made available within 24 hours of a competition. Gov. Gavin Newsom said the state would absorb the cost of the required testing.

The guidance applies to all forms of organized youth sports, including school and community programs, and private clubs and leagues.

Many schools, however, still have not reopened their campuses, Schools in the Pasadena Unified School District remain closed. In the Los Angeles Unified School District. Superintendent Austin Beutner said student-athletes will be able to return to campuses next week for conditioning drills, but not competition.

The state’s guidance encourages, but does not mandate, vaccinations for athletes, coaches and staff.