COVID – 19

Commitment to Safety

All NGBA participants — including players, coaches, referees, volunteers, guardians, spectators, and other officials — must take precautions to minimize the risk of transmitting COVID-19 among members of the community. NGBA protocols align with guidance from

  • Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association
  • Newton Public School (NPS) Health and Safety Plan.
  • Newton Health and Human Services
  • MA Department of Public Health

NGBA league leaders – not coaches – are responsible for COVID protocols and any decisions about a player’s participation. Guidelines are reviewed and updated as necessary.

Based on current guidelines, we are enforcing the following safety measures and protocols.

Gym Guidelines

As a general rule, we ask that

  • Parents and siblings refrain from entering the gymnasium during training sessions.
  • Spectators sit behind the player benches on either side of the gym.
  • Participants don’t arrive more than 5 minutes before your start time.
  • Participants wait outside of the gym until the teams playing earlier have exited. When your game or practice is over, please leave the gym right away.

Proof of Vaccination

  • NGBA does not require proof of vaccination in order to play.
  • We encourage all participants to stay up to date on COVID vaccinations.

Notification of COVID Cases

  • NGBA will no longer be tracing contacts or notifying individuals of possible exposure to the virus. An alert will only be sent out in the event of a cluster of infections within a team or a specific event.

Health Assessment

  • Participants must be in good health to participate in any NGBA activity. Out of courtesy to their teammates, players and coaches showing signs of illness should not participate in NGBA activities until they have been symptom-free for 24 hours.
  • Participants are asked to self-assess their health before every NGBA activity.

Isolation & Return to Play after Testing Positive for COVID-19

  • Participants who test positive for COVID-19 must isolate for at least 5 days. Day 0 is the first day of symptoms OR the day the day positive test was taken, whichever is earlier.
  • Participants who test positive for COVID-19 may return to NGBA activities on day 6, if they
    • are asymptomatic or symptoms are resolving, and
    • have been fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medicine for 24 hours.
  • Participants returning from COVID infection on days 6-10, must wear a face covering unless they
    • are outside,
    • are eating or drinking, or
    • tested negative days 6-10.
  • Repeat viral testing is not required to return to NGBA activities.
  • We recommend that all athletes consult with their physician prior to resuming physical activity following a COVID infection. 

Face Coverings

  • The NGBA will follow any COVID guidelines established by Newton Public Schools for spectators and players involved in indoor winter athletic activities.
  • Masks are optional for all activities.
  • Personal choice and responsibility around masking is emphasized and respected. Parents may set more restrictive face covering guidelines for their child, if they so choose. The NGBA community will support and respect all individuals who choose to wear masks or not.
  • When wearing a mask during soccer activities, players may only wear masks that loop over the ears. Masks or face coverings that wrap around the head or head and neck (i.e., gaiter) will be considered dangerous equipment.

Release of Liability and Assumption of Risk

  • Risk of injury or illness does exist, and participants or their guardians assume full responsibility for their or their child’s participation in our programs.

Game Modifications

The NGBA will follow any in-game modifications published by the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA).  No modifications have been published for the upcoming basketball season. 

Resources