COVID-19 Information and restrictions

The Young Basketball Sessions will operate under the most current COVID-19 Guidelines and Restrictions set forth by Boulder County Public Health and Broomfield County Public Health which are subject to change without notice through the season. Links to these latest guidelines:

• Boulder County Public Health

• Broomfield County Public Health.

Participating in sports with and against other individuals, in any capacity during this pandemic, holds an inherent risk of infection for participants and risk of transmission to other individuals, such as their household members. Stakeholders in organized sports must consider the risks and benefits of participation in their plans for resuming organized sports. Adherence to public health guidelines is essential to minimize risk and disruptions to athletic activities. Organizers must also be familiar with recommendations from their national, state, and local governing bodies regarding illness (including, but not limited to, COVID-19).

The risk of COVID-19 spread can vary depending on the:

• Number of people with whom a player or coach interacts

• Type of physical interaction

• Length of time of the close interaction

• Sharing of equipment across multiple players

• Environment of play (e.g. indoors vs. outdoors)

• Layers of protection that are in place, including:

  • Masks,

  • Physical distancing,

  • Hand hygiene,

  • Vaccination, and

  • Cleaning and disinfecting commonly touched surfaces, etc.

Physical exertion, including sports, involves forced exhalation, which may increase the risk of transmission, similar to singing or playing certain musical instruments. Therefore, it’s recommended that all participants and spectators keep at least 6 feet of physical distance from people outside their immediate households. Infection control measures applied collectively, such as screening, physical distancing, hand hygiene, and masks where appropriate are especially important given that many sports involve close contact of individuals at various times during training or competition.

Athletes who develop symptoms or test positive for COVID-19 will need to isolate, and their close contacts will need to quarantine; public health will determine who is a close contact. Athletes, teams, and organizations should hold each other accountable to follow guidelines and ensure compliance with infection control measures during and beyond play. Behaviors and decisions of participants outside the sports setting may impact the ability of the entire team to participate in training or competition if a single athlete or coach becomes exposed or ill.

Teams that desire to practice and compete without disruption are strongly advised to take these recommendations seriously.

Athletic scouts and recruiters are encouraged to rethink how they evaluate athletes so as not to encourage unsafe practices and competition and unintentionally put athletes and programs at risk.

Competition creates motivation for athletes. Coaches and athletic organizations are encouraged to instill discipline in athletes and find new ways to motivate athletes during times when competition is too risky. Athletes can be encouraged to practice discipline, set goals, and continue to engage in their sport in different ways to foster motivation while aligning with safe practices.