Purpose – The health and safety of soccer players and the condition of soccer fields is a top priority for Elk Grove Soccer.  Poor weather conditions not only contribute to the damage of soccer fields, but, more importantly, inclement weather conditions can present a hazard to players and spectators.  Coaches, referees, tournament and club officials have the overall responsibility for the safety of players during practices and games. 

Elk Grove Soccer adopts the following policy regarding inclement weather conditions:

1. Lightning – Lightning can strike as far as 10 miles from the area where it is raining or even where it is not raining. If you can hear thunder, you are within striking distance. Elk Grove Soccer will follow the recommendation of the National Severe Storms Laboratory, which provides that athletic participation will cease when lightning is detected within 6 miles. For purposes of this policy, a 30 second flash-to-bang count will be utilized (see calculations below).
2. Practice and games will be delayed by a minimum of 30 minutes if the flash of lightning and its thunderclap occur within 30 seconds or less of one another. Practice and games shall not resume until 30 minutes after the last sound of thunder is heard or lightning is seen.
3. Referees and coaches shall direct players and spectators to leave the field for safe shelter, which includes their hard-top vehicles with the windows closed or some other sturdy enclosed substantial structure. (Dugouts and picnic shelters are not suitable, safe structures during a lightning storm.) While there is not a place absolutely safe from the lightning threat, some places are safer than others. The best option is a large building with electric and telephone wiring and plumbing to provide a safe pathway for the current to the ground.
4. All individuals and teams have the right to leave a site or activity, without fear of repercussion or penalty, in order to seek a safe structure or location if they feel that they are in danger from impending lightning activity.
5. In the event a game must be suspended because of conditions that make it impossible to continue play within a reasonable time on the same day, the Elk Grove Soccer shall determine the outcome of the game or if there will be a reschedule.
6. Once the game has begun, the referee may suspend the game without the concurrence of both coaches, but Elk Grove Soccer strongly encourages a conference between the head referee and the coaches before a decision is reached. Referees shall wait in a safe location close to the site and be prepared to continue the game unless the head referee declares the game officially concluded. The determination of the outcome of any shortened game or any replay will be made by the Elk Grove Soccer.
7. Prior to continuation of the game, the teams shall be afforded sufficient time to warm up as determined by the coaches. A maximum time of 10 minutes is considered sufficient.
8. If a suspension is temporarily warranted by lightening, the remainder of the game may be shortened by agreement of the coaches or ordered by the head referee.
9. If the game is suspended to another date, the referees are entitled to the full game fee. If the game is resumed on another date, the referees are entitled to a full game fee.

Facts about Lightning – Calculating Flash-to Bang

It takes the sound of the bang of a thunderclap five seconds to travel one mile, lightning flash is seen instantaneously. Therefore, for every five seconds between the flash of lightning and the bang of thunder, lightning is one mile away.

• A thirty second Flash-to-Bang count means lightning is 6 miles away.
• The average length of a lightning bolt is 3-6 miles long.
• The average speed of a thunderstorm is 25 MPH.
• Lightning can strike from a clear blue sky.

Lightning Don’ts

• Avoid isolated trees or other tall objects, bodies of water, sheds, fences, convertibles, tractors, bikes and motorcycles. Avoid leaning against vehicles.
• Avoid using shower facilities within a safe structure and do not use showers or plumbing facilities during a thunderstorm.
• Trees are not good options for shelter during a thunderstorm, especially lone or single trees.
• Do not lie flat on the ground. If caught outdoors with no shelter stay away from the tallest objects, crouch down with only the balls of your feet touching the ground. Try to minimize your body’s surface area and minimize contact with the ground.
• Avoid using land line telephones except in emergency.
• Once inside a building, stay away from corded telephones, electrical appliances, lighting fixtures, radios or microphones and electric sockets and plumbing. Do not watch lightning from open windows or doorways. Inner rooms are preferable.
• Avoid large groups. Stay several yards away from other people. Don’t share a bleacher bench or huddle with other players.

First Aid for Lightning Strikes

• Call 911. Get medical attention as quickly as possible.
• If the victim has stopped breathing, begin rescue breathing. If the heart has stopped beating, a trained person should give CPR. If the person has a pulse and is breathing, address any other injuries.
• Check for burns in two places. The injured person has received an electric shock and may be burned, both were struck and where the electricity left their body. Being struck by lightning can also cause nervous system damage, broken bones, and loss of hearing or eyesight. People struck by lightning carry no electrical charge and cannot shock other people.

2. Ozone and PM 2.5 – Spare the Air Advisories – Air pollution is a health risk to everyone in the Sacramento region. Elk Grove Soccer games and practices shall be cancelled when the Air Quality Index (AQI) for ground-level ozone/PM 2.5 pollution, where practice is being held, is 150-Unhealthy or above. Current conditions can be found at this website: http://www.sparetheair.com/aqirealtime.cfm

While practices and games must be cancelled if the local AQI is above 150, coaches should avoid strenuous practices and take frequent water breaks during periods of air quality that may be unhealthy for sensitive groups (levels of 101-150).  Coaches shall issue no penalty for children and families if they elect to stay home from practice or games due to health reasons.

3. Inclement Weather – Park Closures – Elk Grove Soccer will follow the procedures established by the Cosumnes Service District (CSD) when it comes to park closures and game cancellations. The CSD policy is as follows:

The Cosumnes Community Services District reserves the right to cancel or suspend field use permits for games, practices and other permitted uses when field conditions may result in damage to the fields or injury to players. Permits may also be cancelled when the health and safety of participants are threatened due to unsafe conditions brought on by, but not limited to, lighting, excessive levels of smog, or pesticide applications.

During inclement weather, Cosumnes Community Services District representatives will assess the playability of selected athletic fields to determine if use will occur. Maintenance staff will check one (1) athletic field in each area of the District:

Area 1 – Rau Park

Area 2 – Laguna Community Park

Area 3 – Johnson Park

Assessments will be made no later than 12:00 p.m., Monday through Friday and 7:00 a.m., Saturday and Sunday. One reassessment of the fields will occur no later than 2:00 pm, Monday through Friday and 9:00 a.m., Saturday and Sunday.

When two of the three fields assessed are deemed unplayable, a District wide closure will be put into effect.

Field use status will be posted on the District’s Field Status Hotline (916-405-5682) no later than 12:00 p.m., Monday through Friday and no later than 7:00 am, Saturday and Sunday. Reassessment information will be posted to the Field Status Hotline no later than 2:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday and 9:00 a.m., Saturday and Sunday. If field assessments determine that a field closure is in effect, the reason for such closures shall be stated on the Field Status Hotline.

It will be each permitted user’s responsibility to check field availability through the Field Status Hotline.

Field assessments will be performed when weather conditions, past or present, have saturated fields insomuch that use of fields may cause long-term damage to fields. Staff shall walk the fields looking for saturated areas or areas of pooling water. Staff shall assess the fields in predetermined locations:

Soccer – Assessments will be taken at five different locations: one reading in front of each goal, one reading along each sideline, and one reading along the center line of the field. If in any of these areas there is substantial standing or pooling water, enough to cause significant damage to the field if played upon, the field is deemed unplayable.

It is the intention of the District to make every effort to leave the sports fields open for use. Ultimately it will be the responsibility of the individual sports team coaches and/or game officials to suspend play on a field when one the following conditions exist:

• Turf is being dislodged when running.
• Heavy rains make the field muddy.
• Moisture from foot traffic starts to ‘pump’ mud up from under the turf.

For consistency purposes, if the CSD closes its parks, Elk Grove Soccer may consider all other parks and fields within its jurisdiction, including, but not limited to school fields, also closed for play.

Practice Cancelation – Notification

In case of inclement weather, please check the website for weather instructions. If bad weather rolls in during the day, a decision will be made at the staff. Games/practices canceled due to weather are typically not made up. Elk Grove Soccer does, however, reserve the right to reschedule. No refunds will be given for games/training/camps cancelled due to the weather or field conditions.

Field closures weekday:

If the staff close any of the fields, they will email the following by 2pm on the day of field closure:

Director(s) of Coaching

The Elk Grove Soccer Staff will notify their departments/members by 3pm (this is our weather deadline time to let parents/players know of any changes).

Information will be sent directly through our registration email system. You will receive notification via the primary email you registered your child with, or, the primary email you signed up to coach with.

*Please note. CSD can cancel fields. Please call the weather hotline for CSD at (916) – 405 – 5682.

Field closures weekend:

If we close any of the fields, you will receive an email from the Elk Grove Soccer staff by 3pm Friday for the Saturday games and 3pm Saturday for the Sunday games whenever possible. 

Please note – we don’t send you an email announcing “practice is on”.

Coaching Canceling Practice – Other Reasons

We do understand there are times when a coach has to cancel practice for another reason outside of the weather. We do however ask you to follow a similar process for notifying parents of the cancellation.

We ask our coaches to notify parents , at the very latest, at 3 hours before the practice start time. We currently have an app that allows our coaches to send texts/emails and post an announcement. It may be necessary to call some parents by phone to notify them if they are not using the app.