(This article was originally published on the Fullerton College Athletics website.)
The Hornets Spring 2 sports can begin competition on April 10. Practices may begin on March 1.
It’s been a rough year to say the least for everyone, but there is light at the end of the tunnel regarding athletics at the community college level. Last week, Spring 2 sports were approved to move forward by the FC administration. Those sports include softball, baseball, tennis, men’s volleyball, track & field, swim & dive, women’s beach volleyball, and the women’s Lacrosse Club team.
Although there will be many colleges throughout the state of California opting out of competition at the community college level, the hope is that all of the colleges within the Orange Empire Conference will be able to compete within the conference in a safe and healthy manner. Teams and officials will be tested, and masks will be required. Fans will not be permitted on campus to watch the games as another safety precaution. Teams, administrative personnel, and support staff will be the only folks to be present during games at any of the Spring 2 events.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, will be a huge help with testing and materials to keep our student-athletes safe. The CARES Act is a $2.2 trillion economic stimulus bill passed by the 116th U.S. Congress on March 27, 2020, in response to the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
“We are very excited to get our spring sports back on campus and competing. We are also looking forward to having our fall sports back on campus this spring practicing with a limited number of scrimmages with other community college teams”, Fullerton College Athletic Director Scott Giles.
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Safety Protocols in Place
Strict safety measures, stemming from California Community College Athletic Association and the Orange County Health Agency guidelines, are in place for student-athletes, including daily temperature and symptom checks, regular COVID-19 testing, a mask protocol, social distancing and more. Coaches, administrators, and students completed training on COVID-19 safety practices. Students are required to complete a more advanced health screening with their personal physicians to meet medical eligibility. Health screenings included COVID-specific screening questions.
Social distancing is achieved by dividing the teams into “pods” of 10 student-athletes each. These pods participated in contactless, socially distanced athletic conditioning activities. Teams did not scrimmage or conduct drills that required students to share equipment.
Athletics COVID-19 Safety Plan