UIL Releases Guidelines for Summer Strength and Conditioning Activities

SAN ANGELO, TX – UIL officials on Wednesday released the updated guidelines for UIL Summer Strength and Conditioning and Sport Specific Instructions. This guidance goes in effect immediately until the first day of instruction, the start of in-season activities, or whichever comes first. 

UIL officials will continue to work with state officials and monitor CDC and other federal guidance to determine any potential modifications.

According to the UIL, all schools should take their local context into account when making decisions related to summer strength and conditioning on campuses.

Schools should follow all state requirements when considering strength and conditioning activities, develop a plan consistent with the guidance below for mitigating COVID-19 spread for these activities, and posting their plans on the school’s website for all faculty, students and parents. 

Although these plans do not require any further approval by UIL, schools are required to develop plans for the 2020-2021 school year, and may choose to do so for summer activities as well. 

Following a release from Gov. Greg Abbott regarding Executive Order GA-29, regarding face coverings, applies to all UIL activities effective July 3, 2020.

This includes all 2020 summer activities and in-season activities for the 2020-2021 school year. As the public health situation changes, and/or if subsequent Executive Orders are issued by Governor Greg Abbott, these guidelines may be further modified.

1. For the purposes of this document, masks and face coverings include non-medical grade disposable face masks, cloth face coverings (over the nose and mouth), or full-face shields to protect eyes, nose, and mouth.  Face shields may be superior to cloth face coverings in many circumstances, given improved ability to see mouth movements and improved air circulation.
2. All employees, parents, visitors and students ten years of age or older must wear face coverings or face shields upon entry to an area where UIL activities are being conducted and when not actively exercising, unless an exception listed below applies.
3. The face coverings requirements do not apply to a school in a county that meets the requirements of paragraph 11 of Executive Order GA-29, unless the local school system chooses to implement these requirements locally. Even in these circumstances, the wearing of face coverings or face shields is strongly encouraged.
4. Exceptions to the wearing of face coverings or face shields include:

•  Any person with a medical condition or disability that prevents wearing a face covering
• While a person is consuming food or drinks
• While a person is in a pool, lake, or similar body of water.
• When a congregating group of persons maintains at least 6 feet of social distancing; or
• Any other reason or circumstance indicated under Executive Order GA-29.

For the purposes of summer workouts, schools must require students, staff, and visitors to wear face coverings when entering and exiting all facilities and practice areas, and when not actively exercising.

Schools may, for example, allow students who are actively exercising to remove face coverings as long as they maintain at least six feet of distance from other students and staff who are not wearing face coverings.

However, schools must require all students and staff to wear face coverings as they get into positions that allow them to maintain safe distancing.

Required Screening, Additional Requirements, and Operational Considerations:

• Attendance at workouts must be optional for students and in compliance with the rules for Summer Strength/Conditioning Programs & Sport Specific Skill Instruction noted below. In addition to on-campus workout options, schools should consider providing students guidance for working out at home or remotely away from school. This can include virtual workouts, emailed or otherwise electronically delivered workout instructions, or any delivery model approved by the local school district.
• Attendance records shall be kept, however, students shall not be required or allowed to make up missed days or workouts.
• Fees, if any, shall be established by the superintendent and collected by the school. Any payment to coaches shall be from the school and from no other source.
• Schools must develop mitigation plans as described above in order to provide students access to locker rooms and shower facilities beginning July 13, 2020. Students may not be given access to locker rooms or shower facilities prior to that date. Students should report to workouts in proper gear and immediately return home to shower at end of the workout.
• Schools should have hand sanitizer or hand-washing stations readily available in the workout area. Students and staff should be encouraged to use it frequently.
• All surfaces in workout areas should be thoroughly disinfected throughout and at the end of each day.
• No clothing or towels may be laundered on site or shared during workouts.
• There can be no shared water or food.
• Schools should plan for entry and exit procedures that reduce the number of students and parents congregating outside and/or mixing around the workout areas and parking areas. Consider staggering start and end times, assigning students to entries and exits to ensure even distribution of students entering/exiting at each entry point, providing guidance to students to enter one at a time and wait six feet apart outside the entrance.
• If the school is planning to offer transportation for summer activities, schools should follow all TEA guidance related to such transportation.

Additionally, any individuals including teachers, staff, students, or other campus visitors who themselves either:

(a) Are lab-confirmed to have COVID-19

(b) Experience the symptoms of COVID-19 (listed below) must stay at home throughout the infection period, and cannot return to campus until the school system screens the individual to determine any of the below conditions for campus re-entry have been met.

In the case of an individual who was diagnosed with COVID-19, the individual may return to school when all three of the following criteria are met:

• at least three days (72 hours) have passed since recovery (resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications)
• the individual has improvement in symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath)
• at least ten days have passed since symptoms first appeared.

* Schools should consider having students remain within a single group or cohort in order to minimize the number of students and staff that must isolate if a case is confirmed. For additional information regarding Positive Cases and Staff or Students Showing COVID Symptoms click here.