WEATHER POLICY

The following rules are applicable to all Mudsock Youth Athletics league members and their organizations:

LIGHTNING:

1. If lightning is visually spotted, or is noted using a weather app (assign a parent this responsibility)within 10 miles, all playing fields MUST BE EVACUATED immediately. All players, coaches and spectators must go to a car or indoor facility. They may not remain on the field, bleachers, dugouts, etc.

2. Play will resume 30 minutes after the last lightning strike or the lightning has moved out of the 10 mile range.

3. The person responsible for making sure this happens is the individual coach during all practice sessions and the official during games

4. The league representative is responsible for clearing all fields at locations with multiple fields. A siren or other alert method should be used as opposed to going field by field in order to clear fields immediately.

Each league is required to post an emergency plan on each field that has a fence, dugout or bleachers. It is also to be posted at all concession buildings as well as on all websites.

If the above policy is not followed:

1. First offense, team will forfeit the next game on the schedule

2. Second offense, coach will be removed for remainder of the season

3. If the activity is at a multi field facility (Olio, Billericay, Mudsock, Cumberland, Cyntheanne, etc) and the fields are not cleared, the entire facility will be closed on the next game day.

This is a very serious topic and needs to be addressed as such. The safety of all participants and families is always the main priority.

HEAT:

1. The board of each league will track weather conditions on a daily basis including the heat index. If the board makes a decision where changes to schedules need to be made, they will alert all coaches as soon as possible.

a. This may include, but is not limited to, changing times, requiring shorter practices or games, providing additional water breaks, requiring less equipment to be work or possibly cancelling a practice. All coaches of that league MUST follow the board’s directive. Any coach not following this directive will be subject to the same actions noted above (lightning policy)

2. Mudsock Youth Athletics will provide general information regarding heat injuries. This will include how to prevent them, what to look for in regards to symptoms and how to respond if someone may be expected of having a heat injury.