The California Department of Public Health has released updated guidance regarding youth and adult recreational sports following an increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the state, which has resulted in many regions throughout the state going back into lockdown.
Under the new guidance, outdoor swimming and diving is categorized in the purple tier, meaning it can be done in an outdoor, low-contact environment. This is the lowest-risk category, and it also includes sports such as archery, badminton, biking, and cross country running.
Indoor swimming and diving is categorized under the Red Tier, which is the moderate-risk category.
The full list of categories includes:
- Purple Tier (outdoor, low-contact sports)
- Archery
- Badminton
- Biking
- Bocce
- Corn hole
- Cross country
- Running
- Shuffleboard
- Skeet shooting
- Skiing and snowboarding
- Snowshoeing
- Swimming and diving
- Tennis
- Track and field
- Walking and hiking
- Red Tier (Outdoor moderate-contact sports)
- Baseball
- Cheerleading
- Dodgeball
- Field hockey
- Gymnastics
- Kickball
- Lacrosse
- Orange Tier (Outdoor high-contact sports and Indoor low-contact sports)
- Basketball
- Football
- Ice hockey
- Rugby
- Rowing/crew (with 2 or more people)
- Soccer
- Volleyball
- Water polo
- Badminton
- Curling
- Physical training
- Pickleball (singles)
- Swimming and diving
- Tennis
- Track and field
- Volleyball
- Yellow Tier (indoor moderate-contact and high contact sports)
- Cheerleading
- Dance (intermittent contact)
- Dodgeball
- Kickball
- Pickleball (doubles)
- Racquetball
- Squash
- Basketball
- Boxing
- Ice hockey
- Ice skating (pairs)
- Martial arts
- Roller derby
- Soccer
- Water polo
- Wrestling
With it’s designation, outdoor swimming and diving will be amongst the first sports allowed to resume inter-team competition and training. Competitions are currently not allowed in California until at least January 25, 2021. On January 4, 2021, the return-to-competition date will be reassessed based on the state’s COVID-19 guidance.
Even when competitions resume, meets will only be able to be contested between teams that primarily reside in bordering counties, provided both counties allow for competitions. In addition, meets with more than two teams will not be permitted, unless they receive authorization from the local health department.
All of the guidance applies to recreational programs for both youth and adult participants; however, the guidelines do not pertain to college programs or pro sports. These programs are guided by their national bodies, or by the NCAA, which all have their own set of rules and protocols to follow.
I don’t know about California, but in our state (in the southern midwest) many people including the swim community don’t take COVID-19 seriously. It is really sad how many people don’t comply with basic public health measures that would prevent the spread such as wearing masks when entering a public facility and social distancing. I have even noticed some swim coaches not wearing their masks during practices. The coaches should be a good example.
Frustration mounts after reading the new guidelines. If these same rules had been implemented six months ago, many sports would have been able to hold competitions and completed seasons, especially swimming and diving.
No Cal or So Cal? Would have been smart to have held the “safer” sports, like swimming, diving, golf, tennis, track, and cross country in the early fall when cases were relatively mild. Many suggested it, no one listened.
Early on in the pandemic, there was an Italian study that found water polo to be the safest team sport (tied with beach volleyball, actually). Somehow CA ranks it a higher risk than field hockey and lax.
Doesn’t look good for CA’s high school water polo season to happen this year, as we have to get to the orange tier to play it. Probably won’t happen for several months. Perhaps they can switch the swimming and polo seasons. Would make a lot of sense, though that’s something in short supply in the Golden State.
Can somebody summarize what this means?
Club team training?
Club team competing?
Club teams cheating?
College programs competing and travel?
Pro swimmers ?
There were more cases in la county today than any state x Texas
Despite these ridiculous bans
Lockdowns don’t work!!
Thanks Gav!
LA County also has a higher population than all but 6 states besides its own (including Texas).
Of the states with higher populations, 4 have implemented widespread restrictions as well (New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and to a lesser degree, Ohio – which has lighter restrictions but also higher infection rates than the other 3 mentioned states). So in your comparison, that leaves only Florida as the outlier.
California’s case count-per-capita ranks 40th, with 1st being the hardest-hit and 56th (including territories) being the least-hit.
The size of the state makes my point- the vast majority were in one county
Comparing to any state but NY is specious
Despite outdoor weather 365 and the most complete shutdown of all the country, the number of infections keeps rising
Banning running? Tennis? Biking?
Cmon
You say “outlier”…yet FL’s numbers per capita are in line (or less) than those that are restricted (with a significantly older population), while keeping a better economy rolling.
Maybe it’s time to recognize those “widespread restricted” states are the actual “outliers”
You have to wait at least 10/14 days before you can tell whether or not it works.
Today 30% of nations cases from California despite near total shutdown
Clearly not effective
Killing people and jobs