VAGUE

distancing, sanitizer and when students return to masks on for kids who are in-school learning. not in the games,” Burden “It’s the same thing said. schools face,” he said. “How

The key problem is “not do you tell them to wear a an enforcement group, in the games.” You can’t mask when you can’t get leaving things up to the play football and maintain them to take a hat off.” people who run the organi10 feet of social distance So despite the governor’s zation or the event. while trying to defend. mandatory requirements

Andy Hilton, who runs You can’t blame Hilton, saying, “Recreational sports Recruit757.com and is CEO who turned down an interactivities must either imof Hilton Communications, view request after The plement the following ran one of those events — Clash of the Titans event, mandatory requirements or Clash of the Titans — Aug. or Burden for holding promust not take place” and 2 in Richmond. The event grams when you consider including, “Indoor and was geared toward helping how the mandatory reoutdoor recreational sports high school football players quirements aren’t enforced should maintain ten feet of receive exposure and footand how other high-risk physical distance between ball scholarships. With the sports can compete. all instructors, participants traditional football season In soccer, recently reand spectators, where postponed until the spring, classified as a high-risk practicable,” soccer athletes from throughout contact sport by the VHSL, matches are approved and Virginia participated and teams are allowed to play football camps are taking the information was sent to matches. place. college coaches. According to the returnIf you’re scoring at home,

The event, which was to-play guidelines from the the VHSL cannot have moved from Warhill Sports Virginia Youth Soccer Assports until December at Complex in the Williamssociation, matches are the earliest because of the burg area to Richmond permitted during Phase 3. mandatory requirements because of the governor’s Alena Yarmosky, a from the governor. restrictions in Hampton spokeswoman for Gov. The requirements state if Roads, put athletes through Northam, confirmed that you can’t follow the guidea series of drills before soccer and other sports can lines, the event shouldn’t moving to stations geared be played in Phase 3, but take place, which means toward their positions. there has to be mitigation. things such as the Clash of

Before the camp, Hilton “Sports that can adhere the Titans shouldn’t haplaid out his plans: Players to Phase 3 guidelines are pen. But they did and will would be spread out over allowed,” Yarmosky said. continue to. two fields with plenty of “Many sports or leagues On the other hand, socspace; players would wear may be able to modify their cer matches can occur with gloves and skin-to-skin play to do so.” the blessing of the govercontact would be limited; Beach FC, a youth soccer nor’s office as long as the linemen would use blockorganization in Virginia sports conform to the ing shields to limit contact. Beach, has continued activPhase 3 requirements.

“We are geared toward ities as it prepares for its However, even with their more coaching than contact upcoming season. Among best efforts, it’s nearly imdrills …,” Hilton said. “Inthe activities teams are possible to do that with tentional contact will not doing are 3-on-3 and 4high-risk sports. But the happen. Unintentional on-4 small-sized games. practices and games concontact can happen, but it “Our sanctioning body tinue. is discouraged.” (Virginia Youth Soccer Finally, at the end of the

These guidelines were Association) confirmed social distancing requiredifficult to follow once the with the governor’s office ments are the words camp began, social media that it’s permitted,” Beach “where practicable.” It posts show. The campers’ FC executive director Steve could be said it’s not practinatural football instincts Danbusky said. cable to have social distook over. Like football, you can’t tance on the field. That’s

Again, the intent of the play defense in soccer with true for football and soccer, camp — to help athletes social distancing. Players but then we go back to the obtain college scholarships bump each other, defendinitial guideline that says if — was a noble one. But ers slide to steal the ball you can’t follow the guidethere was intentional conand sometimes trip up lines — in other words, it’s tact, and this goes against other players. not practicable — then the the mandatory social dis“Beach FC has adopted event shouldn’t take place. tancing requirements given mandatory policies and But, the games, leagues and by the governor’s office. procedures to guide us events are happening.

The Clash of the Titans through the return to play Confused? You’re not isn’t alone. and assist in preventing the alone. This is what happens

GAME Academy in spread of Covid-19,” Danwhen mandatory requireVirginia Beach, run by busky said in an email. ments are instituted withZohn Burden, has held “These policies were creout consequences or encamps during the summer. ated with information forcement. We need the Starting on Sept. 11, it will learned from the Governor governor’s office to enforce start a 7-on-7 club league of Virginia, the Virginia mandatory requirements for players. Department of Health and fairly across the board, with

According to GAME Safety, and the Centers for penalties for violators. Academy’s regulations for Disease Control and PreThe enforcement is GAME Academy 7v7 vention and are designed to needed because you can League, “Participants and assist families who wish to have parents sign organizers of recreational return to play in making an COVID-19 waivers to prosports activities must informed decision. The tect the organizations, but strictly adhere to the physresponse has been overit doesn’t keep the disease ical distancing guidelines, whelmingly positive.” from infecting an athlete enhanced cleaning and Beach FC’s practices to spreading to family memdisinfection practices, and bers.mitigatetheriskofspreadenhanced workplace safety ing coronavirus include, We want young people practices provided in the “Maintain a distance of six getting outside and playing ‘Guidelines for All Business feet between you and othsports. We want high Sectors’ document.” ers.” While not the 10 feet school sporting events and

GAME Academy’s reguthe governor has requested, club sports. To have sports, lations also say, “Indoor it’s still social distancing. we as a community need to and outdoor recreational But the big question is, get control of the virus and sports should maintain 10 how can you play soccer drop the numbers down to feet of physical distance and still conform to social the baseline level. And to between all instructors, distancing requirements? have high-risk activities participants, and spectaBeach FC coach Eric taking place before we hit tors, where practicable.” Blackmore admits it’s a the baseline or have a vac

Burden said in an email sticky situation. He recine is just irresponsible. statement that GAME minds players to not get

Academy will have people close and work on technical enforcing social distancing. aspects of the game, but it’s

“The biggest thing is we difficult in the heat of a will have ‘COVID-19 Resogame. Blackmore likened lution Officers’ on each the coaches’ situation to sideline enforcing social what teachers will face

Larry Rubama contributed to this story.

Greg Giesen 757-446-2309, greg.giesen @pilotonline.com