UPMC’s team developed three separate playbooks: for youth sports, for high school sports, and for collegiate sports. “The youth playbook is meant for youth sports, travel teams, community rec leagues, and even has sections on tournaments, competition, and practice, which obviously at the youth level looks a lot different than high school,” Dr. Doperak says. “So we’ve written a specific set of guidelines for high school and collegiate athletes, which each step of the way looks a little different.” The playbooks contain guidelines for safety for athletes, coaches, staff, parents, and all others who may attend practices and competitions. Topics covered include:
Pre-participation physicals
Facemasks and other personal protective equipment (PPE)
Social distancing guidelines for players, coaches, and observers
Sanitation guidelines
COVID-19 symptom screening
What to do if someone falls ill
Although the UPMC Return to Sports Playbook provides guidelines for COVID-19 safety, we cannot guarantee injury or illness will be prevented. Please practice caution at all times. Our recommendations also may change as we continue to learn more about COVID-19. Follow UPMC, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Pennsylvania Department of Health for COVID-19 updates. For more information on the Return to Sports Playbook, visit UPMC.com. If you have questions, contact ReturnToSports@upmc.edu.