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Fall 2020 FAQ

By Somerville Youth Soccer, 07/17/20, 4:33PM EDT

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Answers to some common questions about our Fall 2020 season

If you are considering registering for the Fall 2020 season, you likely will have questions about how this all is going to work. Somerville Youth Soccer volunteers are here to answer your questions, but first please read the following to see if your question is answered:

Q: What are the chances that we will have soccer this fall?

A: We expect to have a fall season. Given the unprecedented nature of this situation, things can change dramatically at any moment. We have contingency plans both for a rollback to Phase II guidance and for an outright cancellation of youth sports this fall.


Q: My family did the unpaid pre-registration. How do we go about paying our registration fees?

A: You should be receiving an invoice through SportsEngine for your Fall 2020 registration fees. Please pay this by credit or debit card by the due date included on the invoice.


Q: If I want to wait before deciding on registering, what are the registration deadlines for the fall?

A: We understand that everyone is dealing with the emotional aspects of re-opening in their own way. We expect that each family's circumstances are different and that there will be a variety of timetables in terms of when families want to get back on the soccer field. So we want to give everyone as much leeway as possible in making this decision about playing in the fall.

Regular registration for Grade 3 and older players ends at 11:59 PM on Sunday, August 30. A $30 late fee will apply for any registrations submitted after that date.

Registrations for each age group will move to a waitlist status once teams in that age group reach capacity, but there will not be any absolute deadline for registration in the fall.


Q: Why are you now collecting ethnic and racial demographic data?

A: As part of Somerville Youth's Soccer's commitment to anti-racism, we want to have data to track the performance of our outreach and inclusion efforts. No individual ethnic and racial demographic data will be published or shared with anyone outside our organization.


Q: What if my family pre-registered by now does not want to play this fall?

A: Please contact registrar@somervillesoccer.us by Wednesday, August 26 and we will cancel your invoice and registration for the fall.


Q: What do we do about uniforms for the fall?

A: If your child played in our Travel program this past year and has a uniform number assigned, you can order any new uniform parts they need at any point. Just please make sure you are ordering any shirts with their correct uniform number. (If your child is not listed, please email uniforms@somervillesoccer.us with their name.)

If your child is new to our Travel program (rising Grade 3 and older players who did not play on a Travel team in the fall), they will need a Travel uniform. You will need to know your child's uniform number before placing this order. PLEASE DO NOT ORDER YOUR CHILD'S UNIFORM UNTIL YOU ARE INSTRUCTED TO DO SO.

If your child is playing on a Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, Grade 1 or Grade 2 team this fall, you can order their In-Town uniform at any point.


Q: Will games be allowed this fall?

A: We are allowing Grade 1 and older teams to play games against other teams. Pre-K and Kindergarten teams only will play intrasquad scrimmages.


Q: Are Grade 3+ teams allowed to play out-of-town teams?

A: If a sufficient number of families on a Travel-age team (Grades 3+) is interested, the coach(es) of that team may arrange a friendly game against a team from a nearby town, provided that town's Average Daily Case Rate is 8 or fewer cases per 100,000 in the latest weekly report from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Families will not be pressured by the coach or other families to participate in these friendlies.


Q: When will I find out my child's team assignment?

A: Team assignments will be shared with families only after that child's registration fee invoice is paid. We expect to have most of this work done by the end of August.


Q: When would the fall season start?

A: We are aiming to start our preseason for Grades 3 and older on Monday, August 24 and for younger ages to start practicing on Tuesday, September 8.


Q: What precautions will be in place to guard against the transmission of COVID-19?

A: As with our Summer 2020 program, we will be following the protocols specified by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the City of Somerville, and Mass Youth Soccer. Currently that means face coverings at all times for coaches and adult/youth chaperones, one adult/youth chaperone per player at team events, social distancing for all adult/youth chaperones, face coverings for players when not maintaining physical distancing, and not sharing equipment. We have a COVID Safety Officer who is in charge of organizational compliance, with coaches responsible for their team's on-field compliance and a family volunteer for each team responsible for spectator compliance. Additionally, there will be sanitizer available at all Somerville fields, provided by the City of Somerville.


Q: Is it a good idea to be playing soccer during a global pandemic?

A: The science is pretty clear that outdoor recreation with common-sense precautions carries a low risk of transmission. Between that science, the judgment of our state and local public health experts, and Somerville's collective embrace of anti-pandemic measures in all aspects of life, we feel we can provide a vital social and physical outlet for our children without risking the health of our community.

If you have a question that isn't answered here, please call us 617.684.5737 or email president@somevillesoccer.us