Bulletin #:   I2020-049

Date:           May 12, 2020

To:               Club Membership

CC:              Ontario Soccer Board of Directors, Staff

From:          Johnny Misley, Chief Executive Officer

Subject:      Update of COVID-19; Impacted Activities and FAQ #4

Ontario Soccer, in consultation with Canada Soccer and governmental advisors, continues to monitor the most recent developments surrounding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the resulting public health crisis.

Ontario Soccer has received additional questions from the membership, since the first COVID-19 frequently asked questions (FAQ) was released on March 16, 2020, followed by the second COVID-19 FAQ on March 23, 2020, and a third COVID-19 FAQ on April 3. Ontario Soccer have now prepared the following additional FAQ#4 in response.

Why is Ontario Soccer not allowing soccer to return? Couldn’t we just return to limited training?

While we would like nothing more than to see our participants return safely to the sport they love, Ontario Soccer must first receive confirmation from our provincial government and the Public Health Authorities on when Return to Play for all amateur sport is permitted and under what conditions. In the interim, we continue to work with the relevant government authorities and Canada Soccer to ensure first and foremost, the safety and health of our participants.

I would like to get a refund from my Club or Academy. They have directed me to contact Ontario Soccer. How do I go about getting a refund?

All refunds for registration payments are managed by Clubs and Academies. With respect to Ontario Soccer’s portion of the registration fees, Ontario Soccer has previously communicated, it will neither collect Outdoor Player Registration fees nor OSCAR SAAS fees if the 2020 Outdoor Season is cancelled in its entirety. If you are seeking a refund, please contact your Club or Academy about their refund policy.

My organization is trying to get ready for Return to Play and is looking to prepare Return to Play protocols. What resources are available to us?

A province-wide Return to Play protocol will come from Ontario Soccer, in collaboration with the Ontario Government Public Health Authority guidelines and Canada Soccer. In addition to these forthcoming guidelines, Ontario Soccer, in collaboration with Canada Soccer, is developing a risk assessment tool for Clubs and Academies to help guide their decision-making surrounding Return to Play. The data collected in the, now closed, Ontario Soccer Return to Play Survey will assist in guiding the implementation of the sport in Ontario.

While we understand and appreciate the eagerness to prepare for when Return to Play happens, we ask that organizations do not develop protocols that are independent of Ontario Soccer, Ontario Public Health Authority and Canada Soccer guidance.

I would like to continue virtual skills training with my Club after May 31.  Do I have insurance coverage and what does “in good standing” mean with regard to a player or coach?

Please refer to the April 22 bulletin regarding virtual skills training and note Indoor registration insurance coverage will cease on May 31, 2020.  If you have not registered for Outdoor 2020 there will be no insurance coverage for players or coaches engaged in virtual skills training.  A player or coach is ‘In Good Standing’ when they are fully registered in OSCAR, comply with the published rules of their Club and are not suspended or expelled from Ontario Soccer.

The Provincial Government of Ontario has announced a three-phase framework plan to re-open the province. What does this mean for soccer and when will we Return to Play?

At the present time there are no specific timelines or guidelines directed at amateur sport. However, Ontario Soccer in collaboration with Canada Soccer and the Ontario Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism, and Culture Industries are working on a Return to Play plan that will align with government protocols to be put in place. Recently we completed a membership Return to Play Stakeholder survey that had over 17,000 individual responses from the soccer community in Ontario. That data will assist us in our planning.

When will the community coaching courses be made available online?

Ontario Soccer, working in conjunction with Canada Soccer, is getting close to launching the online community coaching courses including: Active Start, Fundamentals, Learn to Train and Soccer For Life. The Game Leader course, the Goalkeeper Coach Certificate and the C-License are already available online.

Ontario Soccer will be contacting the community coaching course hosts, whose courses were re-scheduled from March, April and May 2020. If you have not re-scheduled courses and wish to do so, please contact the Ontario Soccer Coach Development Program to provide your organization’s coaches access to the online modules and provide a new, in-person, date for 2020.

I have read that Ontario Soccer was moving all Match Official Accreditation Clinics to online. When will that be launched?

All Match Official Accreditation Clinics including: Entry Level, Small Sided, Small Sided Assistant Referee and the Mentor Accreditation Clinics were launched on May 1st.  All clinics will be delivered online in 2020. All currently approved Clinics, and future Clinics have been moved to this new delivery format. The online delivery includes online self-guided study material, pre-clinic work and Zoom Webinar sessions to replicate the in-class environment. Students should first review the Student User Guide and FAQs before beginning.

How do I stay connected with Ontario Soccer while activities are suspended?