Warren Youth Basketball Association’s Covid-19 Statement

Dear WYBA Parents and Players:

The WYBA takes the safety of you and your children seriously during this Covid-19 pandemic.  Our facilities usage agreement with the Warren School Board specifies that the WYBA will abide by all applicable laws from NJ State agencies and NJ Executive Orders related to Covid-19.   We need your help to keep us playing basketball!

Masking/Face Covering requirements:

Everyone who enters the Warren Schools for WYBA basketball events is required to be masked, just like during regular school hours.  This means coaches, parent spectators and players, including visiting teams.  Mask up before you come in.  The only people allowed to remove their masks inside the schools are the players when they are actively practicing or playing in a game. Players sitting on the bench during games or the sidelines during practice need to be masked until they are active again.  Everyone else must wear masks at all times.  When the kids leave practice or games, they need to mask up before they exit.

We have been warned by the Warren Board of Ed about mask violations.  It is paramount that we follow the rules, regardless of personal opinions on the matter.  The Warren Schools and the WYBA are compelled by the Governor's Executive Orders.  

Social Distancing:

Coaches are required to keep all unmasked players 6ft apart and avoid close contact for 15 minutes during practice and at games. 

Preemptive Action and Reporting Positve Cases:

If anyone is not feeling well or believes they may have Covid-19 or any viral infection, please stay home!  Parents/Guardians have an obligation to tell their child’s coach of any Covid infections or positive tests.  No player will be penalized for missing practice or games if they are feeling sick or have to quarantine.  The WYBA is obligated to tell the school nurses of any positive Covid tests.

Vaccine Support:

The WYBA recommends that all coaches and players, when they are eligible, get a Covid-19 vaccine.  According to the CDC, the vaccine is safe and effective.  Vaccinated players and coaches are not required to quarantine.

Quarantine:

In the event of a known positive Covid-19 case, the WYBA will make a case-by-case decision on who needs to quarantine based on current guidelines.  Even if everyone on the team is not ‘required’ to quarantine, that does not mean that the team will continue to practice or play with a depleted roster until the quarantine is over.  

To ensure the safety of each individual player and their teammates, please get vaccinated and wear masks as required.  We need your help to prevent all unwanted Covid-19 cases and to comply with current NJ State Executive Orders.  We want our kids to play basketball, not sit at home in quarantine!

If you have any questions please feel free to contact us.  We are doing our best to provide a normal season in spite of the regulations.  We know mask fatigue can set in, but please continue being vigilant so our kids can keep using the Warren School’s gyms to play basketball.  Without them, our season is nearly impossible.

Thank you,

The WYBA Board

warrenyouthbasketball@gmail.com