The safety of our athletes, parents, coaches, and other volunteers is paramount in any weather situation. DC Stoddert Soccer recognizes that severe weather experienced while on fields training (including, but not limited to, lightning, extreme heat, and extreme cold) can affect safety, and the club is committed to implementing safe practices to minimize such risk.
DC Stoddert Soccer’s Severe Weather Policy is based on guidelines set forth by U.S. Soccer in conjunction with data provided by WeatherBug, a full-service mobile and online weather application. This policy provides the basis for changes or cancellations to DC Stoddert Soccer activities based on actual or potential severe weather conditions.
DC Stoddert Soccer staff will follow this policy when determining whether club trainings, tryouts, or other events should be modified or canceled due to actual or potential extreme weather conditions. This policy applies to training sessions, camps, classes, tryouts, games, and other activities, over which DC Stoddert staff have governance authority. For Travel league games and tournaments, the relevant league or the referee is responsible for cancelling for weather reasons.
Cold Weather Guidelines
DC Stoddert staff will use Wind Speed and Temperature provided by the WeatherBug App to determine Wind Chill Temperature Index (WCT) on the U.S. Soccer chart below.
Actual or predicted WCT at the scheduled time of activities, as charted above, will determine the Recommended Action in the chart below. DC Stoddert Soccer will use these charts to determine practice modifications or cancelations. Practice will be held when WCT falls in the green, yellow, and orange zones. WCT in red and black zones will warrant activities to be modified, moved indoors, or canceled.
Hot Weather Guidelines
DC Stoddert staff will use Relative Humidity and Temperature provided by the WeatherBug App to determine Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) on the U.S. Soccer chart below.
Actual or predicted WBGT at the scheduled time of activities, as charted above, will determine the Alert Level on the chart below. DC Stoddert Soccer will use these charts to determine practice modifications or cancelations. Practice will be held when WBGT falls in the green, yellow and orange zones. WBGT in red and black zones will warrant DC Stoddert activities to be modified, moved indoors, or canceled. Note: given the geographic location of Washington, D.C., all DC Stoddert activities will be determined on the Category 3 guidelines on the chart seen on the map below.
Lightning and/or Thunder
Lightning and severe weather pose a threat to player health and safety. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), there is no safe place outside when thunderstorms are in the area, and if you hear thunder, you are likely within striking distance of the storm. In consideration of this advice, DC Stoddert Soccer policy is as follows:
If a coach, manager, parent/guardian, athlete, or other individual sees lightning, or hears thunder, that person shall immediately notify the coach, and the coach is required to:
· Suspend the outdoor activity; and
· Direct all players to seek a safe shelter* location for at least 30 minutes from the last time lighting is seen or thunder is heard.
Coaches and managers should download the free WeatherBug App (www.weatherbug.com) lightning detector app, which may help track when lighting might be near. Anytime the app denotes lightning within ten (10) miles, all outdoor activities should cease immediately.
* Safe Shelter: According to the NWS, safe shelter is either a substantial building (one with plumbing and wiring such as a home, school, church, office building, indoor concourse or recreation center) or a fully enclosed metal-topped vehicle such as a hard-topped car, minivan, bus, etc. Unfortunately, many of the fields used by DC Stoddert Soccer do not have access to substantial buildings for safe shelter. Therefore, while DC Stoddert Soccer coaches, managers, and management have the best intentions for the safety of our players, parents/guardians are reminded that they are ultimately responsible for ensuring players have access to a safe vehicle during outdoor activities.
Parents/guardians should ensure that a responsible person with a safe vehicle remains at the field if/when there is a risk of severe weather forming.
Other Possible Reasons for Schedule Changes or Cancellation
At their discretion, DC Stoddert Soccer staff may cancel practice, including, but not limited to, individual team trainings in the winter months. Any DC Stoddert Soccer club-wide decision about field use supersedes any coach’s decision. Some reasons coaches or DC Stoddert Soccer staff might cancel scheduled activities include, but are not limited to:
Frozen Surface: If the playing surface is frozen and/or contains blocks of snow and/or ice, activities may be cancelled.
Severe Flooding and Road Closures: In the event of severe flooding and road closures, activities may be cancelled.
Field Closures
DC Stoddert Soccer uses fields managed and operated by the DC Department of Parks & Recreation (DPR), Montgomery County, schools, and other private organizations and will follow the operating policies and procedures established by each institution with respect to severe weather. Playing on a field that has been closed by the field owner/manager is strictly prohibited and is considered a violation of DC Stoddert policy.
Notifications and Communication
- DC Stoddert Soccer staff will make best efforts to communicate modifications and cancellations ninety (90) minutes in advance of a scheduled activity, in accordance with the above policies; however, staff may cancel activities, should fields be closed or weather conditions change and present safety risks to participants prior to or during scheduled activities.
- DC Stoddert Soccer will make best efforts to post information about activity cancellations on the club website, club social media pages, and send broadcast messages to affected players, coaches, managers, and teams.
- For DC fields managed by DPR, participants can sign up for email and text alert notifications.
Policy Enforcement: Any coach who does not follow the Severe Weather Policy will be in violation of the Coach’s Code of Conduct and subject to disciplinary action. Any parent/guardian who does not adhere to this policy will be considered in violation of the DC Stoddert Soccer Parent/Guardian Code of Conduct and/or subject to disciplinary action. Any player who does not adhere to this policy will be in violation of the DC Stoddert Soccer Player Code of Conduct, which may result in disciplinary action.
Additional weather resources: