August 24, 2020
BC Soccer & Via Sport announce next phase of Return to Play:
The BC Soccer Association (BCSA) today announced guidelines for Phase 2 of Return to Play. (Click here to read their announcement).
This phase will allow for game play, with minimal changes to the rules, for soccer “cohorts”, meaning smaller groups can play against each other.
The club has received a full briefing from the BCSA and now needs to do things: 1) Revise our Return to Play plan to align with the new rules and 2) Coordinate with our District partners to ensure we are able to form cohorts with appropriate competition.
Types of programs will likely look different at different age groups and skill levels.
We ask for your patience as we work through these update guidelines and work to get everyone onto the field as soon as possible.
The safety of all our members remains our first priority.
Please stay safe and healthy,
The PCEFC Board
June 4, 2020
Dear PCEFC Members:
This email is to further communicate the efforts being made for a modified return to soccer by PCEFC.
On Monday, Via Sport – the organization empowered by the BC Government to oversee our province’s return to sport (RTS) sector oversight released its Return To Sport Guidelines for BC. Please find the link to this document HERE .
Tuesday evening, BC Soccer (BCSA) has sent out its sport specific Return to Play Plan – Phase 1. (RTPP) Please find the link to this document HERE .
*** PLEASE NOTE:
- BCSA RTPP is in PHASE 1, modified (read very restricted) training only, for ages U10 and older only, this is expected to extend to at least September.
- PCEFC will be taking a Club driven, controlled/progressive introduction to team training approach – eg: players must be registered, 2020/21 teams still need to formed, team officials / players / parents need to fully communicated to regarding risk assessment and new processes, and we need to set up a Club oversight program. Team based practices will not be allowed at this time.
- Because player’s must be registered to able to train, we ask that player’s register asap to help us in the planning process. Registration in advance is required to participate in any activity.
- In a separate future email, we will be communicating our plan for team formation for the age groups that have not completed the selection process.
The Board of Directors is fully engaged to make a modified, safe RTS possible. Our plan needs to meet BCSA/CSA, and VIA Sport Guidelines, and then receive Municipal approval. Much like the provincial Return to Business plan, responsibility for RTS plan development and its associated risk of liabiity is borne by each individual Association and ultimately its Members. Please refer to Appendix E of the Via Sport document cited above.
While approved RTS plans can theoretically begin by mid-June, the Tri-Cities Youth Soccer Association District Board and our Club partners have agreed that a target sometime in July at the earliest is a more realistic goal given the protocol requirements and the ensure the safety of all involved.
Refer to the estimated sport activity chart in Appendix 1 of the Via Sport RTS Guidelines document, but in general the Provincial goal is for the safe, gradual RTS through modified training and eventual modified play over the course several weeks and/or months.
There is a lot of information to digest, and a lot of planning and work ahead for all involved. More information is forthcoming, in the coming 1-2 weeks.
The ultimate goal for this summer is to offer safe, sustainable RTS activities to our players that we can hopefully expand upon in September.
A summary of relevant information and their sources includes:
- A reminder the our Provincial Government is in Phase 2 of the BC Restart Plan. Please find the link to this document HERE .
- Municipal information for the City of Port Coquitlam, specifically Parks & Recreation, to the gradual re-opening of facilities can be found HERE .
- Via Sport – the organization empowered by the BC Government to oversee our province’s return to sport (RTS) sector oversight – has released its Return To Sport Guidelines for BC. Please find the link to this document HERE .
- BC Soccer (BCSA) has sent out its sport specific Return to Play Plan – Phase 1. Please find the link to this document HERE .
We urge everyone to stay current on all the public information being provided. BCSA and PCEFC will continue to follow the guidelines set out by our government agencies regarding COVID-19. The safety of all our members remains our first priority.
Please stay safe and healthy,
The PCEFC Board
May 29, 2020
BC Soccer Association has released an updated concerning COVID-19. The website link to the BCSA announcement can be found HERE . The first priority in this process continues to be the safety and health of everyone involved.
Unfortunately, we still can not have any organized practices of any kind. Port Coquitlam Euro-Rite FC will continue to monitor all soccer related developments and will be ready to communicate our programming plans once the return to play guidelines from the BC Soccer Association are made public and Government & Health Organization requirements are met.
We are hopeful for a safe return to soccer in time for our usual start of play in September. For those age groups teams U13 and above still waiting for the team selection process to be completed, we will be communicating the Club’s plan once the return to play path is defined. To help us organize all teams, we encourage any that haven’t registered for soccer to do so asap at our website – https://system.gotsport. com/programs/35622M428?reg_ role=player . In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a reminder that we are offering payment plans to anyone requesting this option.
We know everyone is anxious to get back on the pitch. While it’s ok to visit the park and kick around with your family, we must ask coaches and players alike to hold off on all organized practices for a little longer.
Further informational web links from our government agencies are as follows:
· Federal Public Health Agencies: https://www.canada. ca/en/public-health/services/ diseases/2019-novel- coronavirus-infection.html
· Provincial and Federal Centres for Disease Control:
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has assessed the public health risk associated with COVID-19 as high for Canada, but that we all should take all reasonable steps outlined in their informationals in order to keep ourselves safe.
We urge everyone to stay current on all the public information being provided. BCSA and PCEFC will continue to follow the guidelines set out by our government agencies regarding COVID-19.
Please stay safe and healthy,,
The PCEFC Board
May 12, 2020
Attention: BC Soccer Full/associate Members, BCSPL and Affiliated Soccer Clubs
From: BC Soccer’s Board of Directors
Re: 2020 Provincial Championships
Dear Members, Affiliated Clubs and the BCSPL,
We continue to wish you all well during these uncertain times.
In follow up to the information shared with the members and affiliated clubs on April 6, 2020 regarding
Provincial Championships, BC Soccer’s Board of Directors met on May 9, 2020 and part of the discussion
included our Provincial Competitions.
Youth Provincial Championships
With the ongoing uncertainty, the current health authority limitations on mass gatherings, individual
distancing requirements and guidance on non-essential travel, along with the ongoing Canada Soccer
suspension of soccer activity, BC Soccer’s Board of Directors, with the safety of all involved considered,
made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Youth A and B Provincial Championships.
The decision was not taken lightly and was done in consultation with the Youth District Members.
The Board of Directors also discussed the 2020 Youth Provincial Premier Cup and agreed to cancel this
competition as well. However, it was agreed that if we are able to get back to regular soccer and Canada
Soccer decides to operate a 2020 National Championship competition, BC Soccer will discuss with the
BCSPL clubs to determine any interest at the U15 and U17 age categories in participating in playdowns
leading to Nationals, noting that no team will be penalized for non-participation.
Youth Regional Championships
The Coastal Cup Committee canceled the 2020 Coastal Cup on April 1, 2020 –
http://www.bccoastalsoccerleague.ca/doclib/Coastal%20Cup%20-%20MEMO%20April%201%202020.docx.pdf
Aligned with this decision, BC Soccer would also like to advise that the previously communicated Interior
Regional Cups scheduled for June are canceled.
Adult Provincial Championships
At the same May 9, 2020 BC Soccer Board of Directors meeting, there was also considerable discussion
on the 2020 Adult Provincial Championships. The discussion included confirmation that the Full Member
Adult League members and members of the Adult Competitions Committee very much want to offer
some form of Provincial Cup in 2020 if we can do so. Of course, there was concerns over consistency between youth and adult provincial championships, the current distancing measures of 6 feet between
people from separate households, mass gathering restrictions, and how these restrictions currently
prohibit the association from offering a competition. In light of the above, it was determined that the BC
Health Authority restrictions (and any potential softening of them) would determine if any form of Adult
Provincial Cup competition could take place in 2020, and the board would revisit this at a later date
when more information is known.
Similar to the comments above regarding youth and Nationals, it was agreed that if we are able to get
back to regular soccer and Canada Soccer decides to operate a 2020 National Championship
competition, BC Soccer will discuss with the Adult Members to determine any interest at the
appropriate levels/categories in participating in playdowns leading to Nationals, noting that no team will
be penalized for non-participation.
Return to Play Plan for Soccer – Phase 1
We would also like to take this opportunity to briefly update everyone regarding return to play planning.
Our April 30, 2020 memo to the members and affiliated clubs is still the most up to date information.
We are hoping to receive more information from the health authorities care of the Sport branch/Via
Sport in the coming days/weeks, however, we still have not received any indication on when activity
may return. We continue to develop a Return to Play Phase 1 Plan for soccer that (we feel) falls within
the health authorities’ requirements and once we have more information on this, we will provide it to
our members and affiliated clubs.
April 30th, 2020
Dear Club Families:
We hope you are continuing these difficult times as well as possible. The health and welfare all its members remains Port Coquitlam Euro-Rite FC number one priority as we all navigate our way through the COVID-19 pandemic. With the guidance of our government and health authorities – federal, provincial, and municipal – along with our federal (CSA) and provincial (BCSA) soccer governing bodies, we are doing everything possible to keep our soccer community informed of all events as they unfold.
A collective summary of information links is provided below.
This week, our municipal government updated their guidelines with regards to parks and recreational areas. The link to this update can be found HERE .
With respect to soccer related facilities to following applies:
City Parks and Natural Spaces
- Residents are still encouraged to get outdoors for their mental and physical health, provided they avoid groups and stay at least two metres (six feet) away from anyone not from their household.
- Open:
o All City parks
o Traboulay PoCo Trail and local trails
o Public washrooms in parks (with increased cleaning)
- Closed until further notice:
o All City playgrounds
o Sports courts and sports fields (sports fields can be used by members of the same household)
o Skate and bike skills parks
o Dog parks
o Washrooms and change rooms at field houses and sports fields
To be clear, please note the following:
- Please follow current social distancing and other related COVID-19 health precautions at all times
- Per all recognized authorities, organized team activities are still suspended
- All equipment at fields, including goals, that are stored away and/or locked are to remain so until further notice
- Please respect all the posted field usage guidelines and restrictions; in particular to turf fields, please no food, pets, bicycles, etc. Please respect all community facilities at all times
- Please report any facilities misuse or unsafe practices to the Club and/or relevant authorities
One other quick Club note: we will be formalizing U13-U18 evaluation plans for each age group if/when we get access to the fields – all players can and should still register as that will help us in the planning process.
We, as well as the entire soccer community, are continuing to plan for all possible contingencies going forward, including the safe return soccer.
In the meantime, we strongly encourage everyone to be as active & healthy as possible.
Please continue to engage in and enjoy our Technical Director’s video series found here : HERE
BC Soccer has also posted some fitness and skill development info on their website found HERE
Please stay safe, stay healthy, and continue to pull together as a community.
The PCEFC Board of Directors
A summary of information links:
BC Soccer Association Update March 26, 2020
Our collective communities continue to feel the impacts of COVID-19. As we have expressed previously, we are working to provide information and updates to our members (full and associate) and affiliated soccer clubs to best support them during this rapidly changing and unprecedented times.
We have heard from many organizational leaders and individuals within our soccer and sporting communities, all expressing similar concerns; everything from when we will get back to playing our sport, to ensuring the health/safety of our people is the priority, to the economic impact COVID-19 will have on our sector in both the short and longer-term. These concerns are not lost on us and we share them with you, not only in our province with our members, clubs, and communities but also across the country. We too are working through this difficult, uncertain and unpreceded time with optimism for when we will get back to some form of soccer normalcy soon.
Announcements have been made at the federal and provincial government levels over the last few days/weeks, speaking to the economic impact of COVID-19 on businesses and individuals. To help support our members, affiliated clubs and the people within our communities, we have listed below some of the items that may support you while managing your soccer organization during this uncertain time.
As we all know the situation is changing on a daily basis, therefore, we have used our best efforts to have the most up to date information for you, however, we suggest you use the links provided to ensure the information is the most current.
Please see original article for links to government resources at https://bcsoccer.net/news/post/covid-19-update-sharing-information-during-uncertain-times
Updated March 23, 2020
Dear Club Families.
In these unprecedented times we understand there is much concern and uncertainty over the future.
To achieve social distancing recommended by our health professionals as of March 13th BC Soccer has suspended all soccer activities including practices and games for all our teams. March 22nd the City of Port Coquitlam closed all sports fields.
The club has started planning such that when soccer can resume, we will be ready to quickly get back to “normal”. BCSA suspension includes all activity to at least the end of April. We hope soccer and most of our normal daily activities will be returning to normal thereafter.
We will have a revised tentative schedule out by April 15th hoping for activity in May and June. Evaluations will be delayed starting in May, and spring programs to run in May and June.
Online registration for next season is currently open. To provide assurance to those who have registered already, should the season be cancelled, fees will be refunded. Our “Fee Increase” deadline is also being extended to July 1st at the earliest.
In the meantime, we encourage players to stay active. In the coming weeks our Technical Director Oliver Heald will have some activities and fun challenges that you can practice at home, watch our social media channels for details.
The board and staff would like to assure that the health and safety of all players and their families is our first priority – there are more important things than soccer, and the game we enjoy will be here when life returns to normal.
UPDATE March 13, 2020
Due to The CSA and BC Soccer recent notice regarding all organized soccer activities in BC, we will be suspending all Club on-field activities until further notice.
PCEFC puts the health and safety of its members as its first priority and will continue to monitor this situation going forward.
More information can be found on BC Soccer’s Website HERE
