Dear SSA Members,

Following yesterday’s announcements by a variety of soccer governing bodies across various national, regional, and state levels regarding the COVID-19 virus outbreak and its impact on soccer programming, I wanted to provide an update to you all to try to give you some insight into how this may impact our programs moving forwards.

To begin with, as is the case with the majority of youth soccer clubs in the state,  the outlook is very much determined by decisions made by the various leagues that our teams are affiliated with, so we certainly don’t have a ‘one-size-fits-all’ update for you in that respect unfortunately. Instead, for now, and moving forwards, I’ll try to ensure that the information we provide is accurate as it relates to your child’s team and the league in which your child’s team participates.

For our teams that participate in national and regional leagues (DA, NPL, SCCL, SCCL-Premier etc.) involving interstate travel.

US Soccer, the national governing body for the sport, has made the determination that youth DA league games, along with all youth and adult US National Team activities domestically and abroad, will be suspended through April 30th. For more information, click HERE.

For our teams that participate in NPL, SCCL, and SCCL-Premier leagues administered by US Club Soccer, the latest news that we have is that league competition is suspended until further notice, with a restart date based upon recommendations from appropriate health authorities. 

For our 13U/14U Select ‘travel’ teams that participate in the GA State Athena and Classic leagues administered by GA Soccer and for our 16U and 19U Rec Program teams that participate in the GA Soccer RIAS League, involving some intrastate travel but not involving any interstate travel

From the GA Soccer Board of Directors:

‘With recent actions by US Soccer and with the health of our soccer community remaining our highest priority, effective immediately, we have decided to suspend all affiliated soccer activities through April 30, 2020. Our goal is to resume play as soon as possible. If information and circumstances allow us to resume play prior to April 30, we will immediately communicate that information.’ For more information, please click HERE.

Assuming that GA Soccer does restart as hoped prior to April 30th, we will work on rescheduling games with individual opponents so that the season can be completed.

For our 9U-12U Academy programs that participate in a friendly season with clubs affiliated with GA Soccer and with clubs affiliated with US Club Soccer.

We will be working in concert with GA Soccer, and with US Club Soccer member clubs, on determining a TBA restart date, with the goal being to resume play as soon as possible per GA Soccer and US Club soccer guidelines. 

For all our PDA and 4U-14U Recreational teams that play in local ‘In-House’ leagues (games versus other SSA teams rather than in any league administered by US Soccer, US Club Soccer, or GA Soccer), not involving any significant intrastate or interstate travel.

We are continuing to communicate with our City and County partners, as well as following advice from City, County, State, and Federal Public Health agencies regarding when we can restart program practices and games. As is generally the case, we have a buffer period after the ‘official’ end of the season that we can make use of for rescheduling activities lost at the beginning of the season (typically more for weather issues at this time of year). Our administrators are currently working on making use of these ‘extended’ dates to allow for as much of the season as possible to be completed. 

As this fluid situation evolves, I will continue to provide regular updates on the latest news as we receive it from all our soccer league partners, the relevant City and County Parks and Rec Departments, and the various public health entities. 

Sincerely,

Sean Chamberlain

SSA Operations Manager

[email protected]