While high schools in the state had the okay from the CIAC to begin practice for winter sports starting Tuesday, athletes at Foran High and Jonathan Law will have to go through more guidelines before participating, according to a letter co-authored by Dr. Anna Cutaia (Superintendent of Schools) and Deepa Joseph (Health Director) and sent to the community on Wednesday afternoon.
“We as a district, health department, and families of winter sport athletes still have some work to do to prepare for a safe return for all of our athletes,” the letter read. “Therefore, we want to share critical information for parents and athletes to prepare for documentation that will be required for clearance to return to play.”
A parent waiver, as well as a medical clearance form based on medical history, are part of the documentation needed. Prior to the start of in person practices and tryouts, all athletes will be required to have a signed Notice of Risks/Informed Consent form before they will be able to participate.
The letter stated that this form is under development and could be ready for release by the end of the week.
“Additionally, as a result of the most recent guidance provided by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) related to returning to physical activity after a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19, we will be requiring all athletes who have had a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 to obtain medical clearance by his/her doctor through a signed evaluation form,” noted the letter. “The Health Department is waiting for additional guidance from the CT Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (due to be released later this week) before finalizing such waiver.”
The letter was sent to inform families so they can make appointments for their student athletes where the requirement is necessary.
It read: “We recommend that you reach out to your child’s primary care physician to begin this process ASAP. Please remember that the safety of our athletes is our number one priority. We appreciate your patience during this challenging time and will continue to communicate as we get closer to identifying a start date for our winter season as soon as possible.”
