WYHA members, please take the time to read the entire WYHA COVID-19 Preparedness Plan & Member Expectations document below. You are expected to understand  and follow this comprehensive set of policies and procedures. It will serve as your guide for ensuring the health and safety of all of our players, coaches, volunteers, and fans this season.

The Wayzata Youth Hockey Association (WYHA) is dedicated to maintaining the health and safety of all of our players, coaches, parents, and fans. It is your responsibility as a WYHA member and/or player to be respectful of your fellow players, coaches, and volunteers by following the safety protocols we have put in place. Keep in mind that other players and/or family members may have higher risk related to COVID-19 and we must all do our part to ensure a safe, healthy, and fun 2020-21 youth hockey season. 

1. When in doubt, sit out! Players should be held out of practices or games if they are sick or experiencing symptoms, if a sibling or family member is sick or experiencing symptoms, or if they know that they have had exposure to any individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19.
2. Social distancing. Coaches, players, parents, and spectators should practice social distancing whenever possible.

3. Personal hygiene. Coaches, players, parents, and spectators should practice safe hygiene habits, including washing and/or sanitizing hands, covering coughs and sneezes, utilizing face coverings, and cleaning and sanitizing personal items and equipment frequently.

• Stay home if you are feeling sick. Refer to the symptom checker above.

• Dress at home except for helmet, gloves, and skates.

• Arrive no earlier than fifteen (15) minutes prior to scheduled events.

• Wear a mask or face covering at all times when inside the arena AND locker rooms.

• Check-in with your Team Health Advisor prior to entering the locker room.

• Maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet as much as possible within locker rooms.

• Use only your own water bottle.

• Pay attention to signage and facility guidelines for entering and exiting the arena.

• Immediately notify a coach or locker room monitor if you begin experiencing symptoms while at a team event.

• Stay home if you are feeling sick.

• Limit the use of carpools, if possible.

• Parent/guardian limitations:

  • For players aged 10 and younger, no more than 1 parent is allowed at practice.

    • Limit time in locker room to no more than several minutes if assisting your player with equipment or skates.

  • For players aged 11 and older, no parents/guardians are allowed at practice

  • No more than 2 spectators per player are allowed at games.

• Arrive no earlier than five (5) minutes prior to scheduled events.

• Wear a mask or face covering at all times when inside the arena.

• Practice physical distancing of at least 6 feet at all times when inside the arena.

• Pay attention to signage and facility guidelines for entering and exiting the arena.

If a player or family member in the same household tests positive for COVID-19, or if a player/family member has been identified as having had close contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19, immediately remove the player from play and contact your Team Health Advisor as soon as possible. 

In the event of a positive test or an exposure to an individual with a positive test, players and family members must follow all CDC, MDH, and WYHA guidelines for returning to activity.

IF YOU OR A FAMILY MEMBER HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO A PERSON WHO TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19

Any athlete or family member who has been exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19 needs to stay home, quarantined, for a minimum of 14 days. This is regardless of test results and includes those who have received a negative COVID-19 test result. It is very important to remember that individuals cannot test out of quarantine after a close contact. 

This is because there is no way for us to shorten the 14-day incubation period. To put it another way, it could take up to 14 days for the virus to take hold in your body and for you to become infected. It is possible that you could test negative at the beginning of the incubation period, but then test positive toward the end of the incubation period.

In fact, the guidance recommends that testing should occur no sooner than 5 to 7 days after a close contact or exposure (or at any point if symptoms develop) to guard against a potential false negative test result due to being tested too early in the incubation period.

For more info, see the MDH Guidelines: What to do if you have had close contact with a person with COVID-19.

• Minnesota Hockey Return to Play Guidelines

• Minnesota Hockey COVID-19 Page

• State of Minnesota’s Stay Safe Plan

• Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Guidance for Youth Sports 

• CDC Considerations for Youth Sports

If you believe your player or a family member in the same household has COVID-19 symptoms or has been exposed to someone with COVID-19, consult the Minnesota Department of Health Decision Tree to determine your next steps.