Website Manager

Nebraska

State Soccer

News Detail

5

May, 2020

COVID-19 Update

We have created a Nebraska Return to Play webpage will resources for clubs, parents and coaches as we prepare to return to activity. 


To: NSS Members
From: NSS Board of Directors
Date: May 5, 2020

 

In an effort to keep all of our members up-to-date with our latest changes, here is a current list of  updates for our programming and how they are being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and suspension of play.

NSS is monitoring updates on the Directed Health Measures issued by Gov. Ricketts, working with USYS and monitoring all guidance from the CDC as we coordinate a well-thought-out plan for our state’s Return to Play process. 

Here are detailed updates as of May 5th, 2020:  

 

Suspension of Sanctioned Activities

All sanctioned activities are still under suspension until May 31. This date is in line with the current DHMs from Governor Ricketts specifically regarding sports and organized activities.

Activities that are currently suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic include, but are not limited to the following: 

  • All sanctioned leagues and tournament play (if your club runs a league)
  • In-Person Team or Individual Practices/Trainings
  • All tryouts, camps or clinics
  • In-person organizational meetings or educational sessions
  • Friendly games or scrimmages

 

State Staff 

Office staff will be working remotely until further notice. NSS remains committed to serving our members during this unprecedented time. Please use email as your primary means of communication with NSS Staff and understand that some questions cannot be answered until we are certain how long this crisis limits soccer activities. 

 

Team Formation/Tryout  

Due to the pandemic and suspension of activities, NSS Board of Directors has created a temporary policy and new team formation dates. You can find that information here:  https://www.nebraskastatesoccer.org/Default.aspx?tabid=2679207

**Please be aware that should the Return to Play requirements impact the physical tryout process, the NSS Board of Directors may revise this policy

 

Nebraska Youth Soccer League (NYSL)

Spring season has been cancelled.  NYSL staff will be focusing on Return to Play options for the Fall 2020 season.  Registration info for fall will be out soon

 

USYS Regional Events

Spring State Cup, along with both the regional & national Championships and President’s Cup have been cancelled.

 

Coaching Education

All in-person courses scheduled now through at least May 31 are postponed, with future dates and locations to be determined. Candidates scheduled to participate in a course may immediately elect to reschedule for a future date or wait for new dates to be announced.  Online Grassroots courses are still available for free for any NSS member coach.

We currently have a D and a C course scheduled to start late this summer. At this time these courses are still on as scheduled but we are awaiting confirmation from US Soccer on when in-person courses will be  permitted.

 

Olympic Development Program

All remaining ODP activities have been cancelled.  We are working with USYS to start looking at programming for the 2020/21 year.

 

TOPSoccer  

All TOPSoccer events are cancelled at this time.

 

Sanctioned Tournaments

We have notified all tournaments planned for 2020 that we are not sanctioning these events until further notice.  This includes the originally scheduled June events and events this fall. Because of the possible travel requirements and large gatherings that come with them, tournaments will be included into a later phase of our larger Return to Play process. 

 

Referees

US Soccer has recently announced that they have put all referee programming on hold through June 30th.  This leaves all referees with no liability coverage during this time if they were to referee games.

Referee certification courses are scheduled (and canceled) at the discretion of the Nebraska Referee Development Program; please refer to NRDP directly for information regarding their immediate plans.  NSS is preemptively seeking guidance to address the nationwide referee shortage when soccer activities are safe to resume.

 

U.S. Youth Soccer Programming

All 2020 USYS Leagues Program and Conference activities are suspended through May 15. USYS will be evaluating conditions on a bi-weekly basis to determine when it’s appropriate to reinstate USYS activities.



_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
To:  NSS Club Administrators
From: NSS Board of Directors
Subject: Sanctioned Activities Clarification

We have gotten some questions as to what is and isn't considered a "Sanctioned Activity" in regards to the COVID-19 Suspension. Sanctioned Activities that are currently suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic include, but are not limited to the following: 

  • All sanctioned leagues and tournament play (if your club runs a league)
  • In-Person Team or Individual Practices/Trainings
  • All tryouts, camps or clinics
  • In-person organizational meetings or educational sessions
  • Friendly games or scrimmages

By not being sanctioned, any club, team, league or organization hosting any soccer related activity will do so without insurance coverage. NSS will not be sanctioning any of these activities until at least May 31st. 

As always if you have any questions do not hesitate to contact the state office! 

NSS Board of Directors

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

To: NSS Club Administrators
From: NSS Board of Directors
Subject: COVID-19 Suspension Update

 

The Nebraska State Soccer Board of Directors, in accordance with local health recommendations, has made the difficult decision to extend the suspension of all sanctioned activities, including league and tournament play, through May 31st, 2020.  This latest suspension is in support of the recent Directed Health Measures and guidelines delivered last week by Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts with specific guidelines regarding schools and extracurricular activities. Gov. Ricketts also specifically mentioned not holding club sports events in order to support the purpose of the DHMs to continue social distancing and slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

 

While NSS understands the frustration and challenges that come along with an extended period of suspension, we are committed to doing our part to keep the community safe.

 

When the suspension is lifted, the NSS board and staff are fully prepared to support our members and to get our soccer community back to normal as quickly as possible.

 

A temporary policy update regarding Team Formation has been drafted and is currently under review by the NSS Board of Directors.




To: Nebraska State Soccer Membership

From: Casey Mann, Executive Director and NSS Board of Directors
Re: Coronavirus Update
Date: April 1, 2020

We hope all of you are doing as well as is possible these crazy and trying days.  In previous announcements to membership, we have mentioned waiting on USYS for decisions made on their programming, namely USYS Regionals, Nationals, and President’s Cup.  We now have clarity on several of these factors that we can share.

USYS National Championship Series/President’s Cup
The USYS National office announced last night that the NCS/President’s Cup Regional and National events in June and July have been canceled. You can read the full release here: https://www.usyouthsoccer.org/usys-programming-notice-33120/

USYS National League/Midwest Conference
USYS also announced they have extended the suspension of their league play until at least April 30th.

NSS Spring State Cup
In response to the USYS National office announcement of the summer NCS event being canceled, we have made the decision to cancel the traditional version of Spring State Cup this June.  With no regionals or nationals pathway, and the challenges and uncertainty that lay ahead, we feel our focus should be on creating simple playing opportunities for all of our membership.  Refunds will be issued for any team who has already paid entry fees.

Nebraska Spring Classic (Level 2 tournament)
At this time we feel it is unrealistic that this event will be able to be played as scheduled.  Our focus is to get any kind of organized play going as soon as it is safe to do so.  Refunds will be issued for any team who has already paid entry fees.

NSS hosted events
It is our hope that in lieu of our usual spring tournaments, we are able to host an event for each level of competition  some time this summer. If for nothing else, to provide a fun, celebratory weekend of games for our members. As a concrete time frame of play becomes clear we will do whatever possible to offer additional events. 

Team Formation
The NSS Board is finalizing options for a simplified 2020 Team Formation.  Originally the tryout schedule was built around USYS regionals, and with that out of the picture, we have the flexibility to help make this a shortened and less stressful process for all. We are evaluating several options and will communicate an updated calendar to our members as quickly as we can.

NYSL
NYSL is working diligently to plan several league play options based on different return to play dates and time frames.  Whether in the form of a shortened league schedule or a series of play-dates, our staff is ready to get our teams out on the pitch as soon as it is safe to do so.  As we know more from our local government about restrictions, we will get these plans out to you ASAP. If your team has paid for spring season and would like a refund, please contact our staff and we are happy to help you with that. Otherwise, any payments will be used for league play/games that we schedule with partial refunds given if needed after play has concluded.

Sanctioned Tournaments 
For now, all sanctioned activities, including tournaments, are suspended through April 30.  Sanctioning beyond that deadline has not yet been determined.  For clubs with sanctioned tournaments scheduled for late spring, we will communicate all updates with you by mid-April.

 

As plans are changing and evolving as quickly as they are, we will continue to communicate all updates to our members as we have them. For now, we thank all of you for your patience and understanding as we work through these trying times together.


Nebraska State Soccer



To: Nebraska State Soccer Membership

From: Casey Mann, Executive Director and NSS Board of Directors
Re: Coronavirus Update
Date: March 20, 2020

Nebraska State Soccer Members

 

Just like many of you, our staff and Board of Directors have been monitoring the ever-changing COVID-19 situation throughout the last several weeks - both in Nebraska and throughout the country.  We are responding to guidance from many organizations including local authorities, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), US Youth Soccer and US Soccer.  Our most immediate concern is the health and safety of all Nebraska State Soccer members, therefore NSS feels we need to update our current stance regarding how this pandemic affects our sanctioned programming this spring.

 

Nebraska State Soccer has extended the current suspension of all sanctioned activities
through at least April 30, 2020
.

 

Our staff has been working, and will continue to work, on proactive plans to get our players back on the pitch as soon as the situation permits.

 

State Staff 

Office staff will be working remotely through March 31. NSS remains committed to serving our members during this unprecedented time. Please use email as your primary means of communication with NSS Staff and understand that some questions cannot be answered until we are certain how long this crisis limits soccer activities. 

 

Club Activities 

It is the discretion of each member organization to make decisions about its programming.  NSS strongly advises clubs to suspend local activities until guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other local authorities indicate it is safe to resume.  Clubs should encourage their members to practice social distancing and follow any local government requirements regarding limits to gatherings that may affect them.


Tryout Dates

For now - Tryout dates will remain unchanged. (2020/2021 NSS Team formation info) 

The NSS Board of Directors is considering amending the dates/delaying them/ or adjusting the process as more of our summer calendar becomes known.

 

NSS Sanctioned Leagues

NYSL is suspended until April 30.  The NYSL staff is currently working on several delayed and/or shortened schedule options for registered teams.  NYSL staff will be communicating with clubs in hopes to provide programming as soon as the situation permits.

All other state sanctioned leagues (CYSL, OLSL, NMLS) will communicate directly with their teams

 

 State Cup/Midwest Regional Championship

As of now, still on as scheduled.  The status of Nebraska State Cup relies heavily on the USYS decision on Regional and National level events for the National Championship Series. We are in constant communication with the NCS committee who is working to determine the fate of the summer events.

 

Coaching Education

All coaching education courses scheduled now through April 30 are postponed, with future dates and locations to be determined. Candidates do not need to do anything now and should wait for new dates to be announced. 

 

Olympic Development Program

Since ODP had moved to a winter-based calendar, all 19/20 season trainings are complete. 

No decision has been made about future ODP activities and much of that decision will be based on USYS National Programming.  Should ODP Regional Camp remain as scheduled, ODP staff may choose to add in more training prior to selections.

 

TOPSoccer  

It is recommended that local programs suspend activities until at least April 30. 

 

Sanctioned Tournaments

All tournaments scheduled through April will not be sanctioned by NSS.  Many tournaments have already cancelled.  Those scheduled for May/June/July will be re-evaluated by mid-April. 

 

Referees

Referee certification courses are scheduled (and canceled) at the discretion of the Nebraska Referee Development Program; please refer to NRDP directly for information regarding its immediate plans. 

o NSS is preemptively seeking guidance to address the nationwide referee shortage when soccer activities are safe to resume. 

 

U.S. Youth Soccer Programming

All 2020 USYS Leagues Program and Conference activities are suspended through April 15. USYS will be evaluating conditions on a bi-weekly basis to determine when it’s appropriate to reinstate USYS activities.

 

U.S. Soccer Programming

 U.S. Soccer has decided to postpone or cancel a number of scheduled events through April 30. This includes, but is not limited to, all National Team programming: Men’s, Women’s, Youth and Extended NationalTteams; Development Academy regular season matches and the upcoming Spring Cup; all Coaching Education and Referee courses, and all Talent Identification opportunities.    

 

Thank you for your patience as we react to constantly evolving environment. NSS will evaluate the situation on an ongoing basis and provide regular updates on the status of soccer activities. We look forward to safely resuming the game we all love, as soon as reasonably possible.




Date: March 16, 2020

Effective immediately, the Nebraska State Soccer office will be closed. Staff members will continue to work remotely and are available via email until further notice. 



To: Nebraska State Soccer Membership

From: Casey Mann, Executive Director and NSS Board of Directors
Re: Coronavirus Update
Date: March 13, 2020

Nebraska State Soccer Members

 

In response to the COVID-19 virus (aka coronavirus) and the historic levels of disruption to everyday activities - from sports to school to work to travel, we have continued to monitor the situation while seeking guidance from both a national level through our governing bodies, U.S. Soccer and US Youth Soccer, as well as staying in communication with our local authorities and neighboring state associations to address the risk level and impact to our members in Nebraska.

 

Based upon the available information and recommendations about ways to slow the spread of the virus, we have made the determination to suspend all Nebraska State Soccer sanctioned activity until at least April 1, 2020.

  • This applies to ODP training and events, Coach Education courses, Referee training, and state sanctioned league play (NYSL, CYSL, Sarpy, OSLS and NMSL).

 

At this time we are not requiring our member clubs and organization to suspend their internal activities, although we do strongly encourage our members make the decision to suspend activities based on the recommendations of local authorities and school districts in their community.  Clubs should evaluate their local conditions to determine the best course of action.  Players’ and members’ health and safety should be the highest priority in determining ongoing operations.

It is our hope that we can resume normal activity after April 1.  While these decisions are not made lightly, it is all our responsibility to do what we can to help slow and prevent the spread of the virus through our community and beyond.

Please stay tuned for more information coming from your team’s league on a revised schedule for Spring 2020.

We appreciate your patience as we work through this situation and make the best decisions for our members.  NSS staff is available to help with questions our members may have. 

 

Sincerely,

 

Nebraska State Soccer Board of Directors

          

To: Nebraska State Soccer Membership
From: Casey Mann, Executive Director and NSS Board of Directors
Re: Coronavirus Update
Date: March 10, 2020

The health and well-being of our members is our number one priority.  Nebraska State Soccer is following the guidelines being sent forward by the Center for Disease Control as the Coronavirus situation evolves.

As various school closures take place around the State, our local soccer leadership should communicate decisions to players, parents, coaches, volunteers and referees about whether activities will continue as scheduled or change.

US Soccer and US Youth Soccer are also monitoring the changing dynamic around the country. Nebraska State Soccer is in contact with US Soccer and US Youth Soccer and will share any updates that are received.

Please review the following pages with up-to-date, reliable information concerning the Coronavirus:

Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services: http://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Coronavirus.aspx
Center for Disease Control: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

If you have questions please contact
Casey Mann at [email protected] or 402-596-1616



                                                                                                                                                                                                  


Dr. George Chiampas (Chief Medical Officer at U.S. Soccer), Dr. Pete Zopfi (USYS Chairman) and Skip Gilbert (USYS CEO) issued the following information about Coronavirus monitoring.


With the increasing number of cases of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) being reported across the world, U.S. Soccer's leadership has reviewed and will continue to monitor all international and domestic programming for our National Teams and staff. As part of this review, we are working closely in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and international agencies including the State Department, USOPC, IOC and FIFA in real time to guide decisions on travel and participation.

Our main priority is the safety and well-being of our players, coaches and staff. For this reason we have modified some of our travel policies, and are reaffirming best practices for illness prevention.

As members of the U.S. Soccer family, we would encourage you to carefully look at your own programming - including events and travel - and stay in contact with our office as well as your local and state departments of Public Health with further questions. We will endeavor to provide all members with timely and relevant information on Coronavirus.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent the Coronavirus. The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed. Everyday preventive actions should be taken, including:

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
  • Follow the CDC's recommendations for using a facemask.
    • CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including Coronavirus.
    • Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms to help prevent the spread of the disease.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
    • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

Additionally, here are a number of different resources and communications from the CDC and other organizations regarding the Coronavirus:

CDC - Coronavirus Overview

CDC - Travel Recommendations (China)

CDC - Frequently Asked Questions

CDC - Travelers Health

WHO - Advice for Coronavirus

U.S. Department of State - Country Specific Travel Information

USOPC - Coronavirus Update

Our primary commitment and focus at all times is the health and safety of our U.S. Soccer family, so please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or comments.

Sincerely,

Dr. George Chiampas
Chief Medical Officer
U.S. Soccer

 


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