2020-21 GCSD Fall Athletics Q&A

When will sports schedules be available online?

Fall schedules are available online now. View information and up-to-date schedules for Guilderland’s athletic teams at: https://www.schedulegalaxy.com/schools/486

Can an athlete play in all 4 seasons in 2020-21?

Yes. An athlete can play in all 4 seasons (Fall, Winter, Fall 2, Spring) in 2020-21. For example, an athlete can play soccer in the Fall season, basketball in the Winter season, football in the Fall 2 season and baseball in the Spring season. An athlete cannot play two sports in the same season. For example, an athlete cannot play football and volleyball during the Fall 2 season.

If I am a student who has elected for full remote instruction, am I eligible to participate in athletics in 2020-21?

Yes. A student who has elected for full remote instruction is still a bona fide student. Therefore, students who are fully remote can still participate in sports. Remote students will be required to provide their own transportation to school for practices and games. For away games, they only need to provide transportation to Guilderland HS and then can take the bus to the game.

How many practices am I required to participate in before being eligible to play in games?

Individuals must be active participants in at least 10 practices in order to be eligible to participate in a game.

Will there be league championships this fall in the Suburban Council for varsity athletics?

As of now, there are no culminating events scheduled for the Suburban Council at the end of the fall season. The focus right now is to maximize opportunities to provide all teams in the league with as many regular-season competitions as possible.

Will there be sectionals this fall?

No. Unfortunately, Section 2 has decided to cancel sectionals for the fall season.

Will there be games scheduled on weekdays this fall and how will that impact the school day?

Yes. We scheduled as many games on Saturdays as we could but our teams will need to play games on weekdays. For some of the weekday games, we were able to push back the start times so as not to interfere with the school day. However, we are not able to do this for all weekday games. In these instances, athletes will be dismissed from school early.

What if I can’t get a ride to an away game with my parent or with another parent?

Guilderland will provide a bus for all away games. If an athlete is unable to ride to an away game with their parent/guardian or with another parent/guardian, they will always have the option to take the bus.

Will there be shuttle buses to practices at Western Turnpike, Voorheesville HS, Afrims & Tawasentha?

We are currently working with our transportation department to determine whether or not shuttle buses will be available to drop athletes off at practice. In the meantime, we are encouraging our athletes to find their own transportation to these facilities for practices.

Will athletes have access to the locker rooms?

Yes. We have marked off areas in each locker room that are 6 feet apart. Athletes will be allowed to use our locker rooms when these changing areas (they are marked off with floor tape) are available. Athletes will be required to wear their face masks at all times while using the locker rooms.

What if my son or daughter cannot tolerate wearing a mask during physical activity for medical reasons?

If an athlete cannot tolerate wearing a mask during physical activity for medical reasons, they must send a medical note, signed by their physician, to our school nurses. Our nurses will send the medical note to our school physician, who must approve the medical note in order for the athlete to be able to participate in sports without a mask.

What type of mask is recommended, especially for soccer, field hockey or cross country runners?

Just like students in school, our athletes will be required to wear cloth face masks that cover both the nose and mouth that include but are not limited to, homemade sewn masks and surgical masks. We recommend that our athletes wear whichever acceptable mask is the most comfortable for them. The surgical masks seem to be the popular choice for athletes participating in sports that involve heavy breathing. Bandanas, single-ply gaiters and masks with an exhalation valve are not allowed.

What if I forget my mask for a practice or a game, or if my mask is damaged?

All of our coaches have been provided with a supply of surgical masks. If an athlete forgets their mask or if their mask is damaged, our coaches will supply them with one of the surgical masks.

Will spectators be allowed to attend games?

The Department of Health guidelines state that spectators should be limited to two per athlete for school athletic contests. With the exception of swimming and golf, our athletes will each be given two spectator passes to distribute to family or friends. Only spectators wearing a badge will be allowed to attend a game.

Will football, cheerleading and volleyball be allowed to conduct off-season workouts on campus this fall?

NYSPHSAA has provided updated guidance that does allow football, cheerleading and volleyball teams to conduct “off season” workouts on campus. However, nothing is scheduled for these teams at this time. Our focus right now is to get the low and moderate risk fall sports off the ground. When we have more information on off-season workouts, we will share with
our athletes and parents.

How will the adjusted fall season impact the winter season?

NYSPHSAA has announced that the winter season will now start on Monday, November 30, 2020.

How will the fall 2 season impact the spring season?

NYSPHSAA has announced that the spring season will now start on Monday, April 19th.

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