April 24, 2020 - SSA Member Update

April 24, 2020

 

 

Saskatchewan Soccer and all member organizations continue to adhere to the Canada Soccer Suspension of all Sanctioned Soccer Activity and the Government of Saskatchewan Public Health Order issued on April 4, 2020 which states that indoor and outdoor gatherings of 10 people or more are prohibited.

 

While the suspension of activity is in place, we encourage everyone to stay safe and maintain physical distancing. 

 

 

These past few weeks have been about constant change.  With the Premier’s plan to Re-Open Saskatchewan now released we are again adapting our thinking as we consider what that means for soccer.  The success of Saskatchewan’s response to COVID is well documented and is something we should all celebrate.  Our collective efforts are keeping the vast majority of us safe and as a result the province is preparing to phase in actions that over time will bring us back to normalcy, as long as we maintain our focus on safety guidelines.

 

So what does this announcement mean for Soccer in the province? 

 

The Premier has announced a five phase approach and confirmed that medical protocols and physical distancing must be maintained throughout all phases.  Sport activities are not set to resume until Phase 4 when gatherings of more than 30 will still be prohibited.

 

We understand members are dealing with registration for the outdoor season in a variety of ways.  We applaud those who remain open to alternative programming we hope can take place in the months ahead.

 

While there is no timetable for Phase 4 & 5 we must be realistic and assume this phased in approach will take place over many months.  Along the way, should incidents of COVID rise, then the timetables will re-set and restrictions may come back into force. As a result we are adapting our focus and thinking.

 

Currently both Canada Soccer and Sask Sport member organizations have turned their focus to adaptations that will be necessary if phased in activity resumes.  We will get back on the pitch but we will need to be prepared to implement new adaptations and safety protocols.  Federal and Provincial Governments have requested input from sports to develop return to play guidelines that will allow for phased in, safe participation. What will soccer look like when we first return to play?  This is now a primary focus in the coming days and we invite your input.

 

 

Paul Varian will be our special guest on the call. He will share his thoughts on actions organizations can focus on during the pandemic which can elevate their organization.  He will also discuss his up-coming workshops on How to Write a Technical Plan and another project that is still in production, on Board education and development.

 

As noted last week the SSA Board is meeting this weekend and we will bring additional updates from that meeting and invite your questions and comments.  We hope you will join us!

 

With the indoor season now wrapped up Member Organizations (MO) can now begin final steps to exiting Goalline (GL). As previously stated, Active Indoor and Active All Season Members were to have administrative access to GL until April 30, 2020. With the pandemic halting some of our progress we have extended the deadline to May 14, 2020 for all MOs. During the next couple of weeks MOs should prepare their GL sites for the exit, the major steps are outlined in the GL Exit Strategy document.

 

SSA is proud to release materials we have developed internally to support Members with their pursuit of licensing and include:

These materials will complement Canada Soccer’s NYCL Support Manual. These manuals detail the supporting materials available for the various criteria required to achieve licences with the Club Licensing Program.

 

As well, SSA is proud to release the following new templates and information guides that will support Member Organizations in enhancing their operations, along with their pursuits of the Club Licensing Program:

 

Strategic & Operational Plan Information Guide;

Communications & Social Media Information Guide;

Facilities Database Template;

Team Personnel Database Template; and,

Game Schedule Template.

 

Many of the other templates and information guides listed on the Member Organization Resources webpage have also been updated for Member Organizations’ use.

We plan to have our online coaching and referee courses available next week. We will provide more information on our member call on April 28.

 

April 26 @ 8:00 pm - New Board Member Orientation Webinar If you are a new board member or volunteer with an SSA Member Organization, join us to learn about the programs and services available to your organization and what SSA can do for you.

 

 

May 27 @ 6:30 pm - Developing an Annual Plan Webinar

 

Continue to check out our website for online learning opportunities and if you have any to share please send them our way!