Casco Bay Hockey Association (CBHA), in conjunction with USA Hockey, the Maine Amateur Hockey Association (MEAHA), the Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention (Maine CDC), local government officials, and local arena staff have developed the following organizational policy related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Casco Bay Hockey developed this policy with the expectation that we will all work together to adhere to the following guidelines to ensure that everyone can have a safe hockey season.  Those that do not adhere to these guidelines put all of us at risk from not having a hockey season and will be subject to disciplinary action!

Face covering requirements will be evaluated on a regular basis.  Casco Bay players must follow the rules of the rink they are practicing and playing at. 

Unvaccinated Casco Bay players and coaches are required to wear a face covering inside of all rinks facilities when off the ice regardless of rinks policy.

Vaccinated Casco Bay players and coaches are subject to the rinks policy.

Face coverings are required at all times for anyone in a locker room regardless of vaccination status or rink policy.  This is a Maine Amateur Hockey (MEAHA) requirement for all USA Hockey individuals registered under MEAHA (all of Casco Bay Hockey Association).

How long does a player or coach that tests positive for COVID 19 have to wait before returning to hockey (regardless of vaccination status)?

• At least 5 days since symptoms first appeared or positive test (if asymptomatic) and
• At least 24 hours with no fever without fever-reducing medication and
• You have no symptoms or symptoms are resolving
• Continue to wear a mask around others (including on the ice) for 5 additional days.

What happens if a player or household member has a positive test or is identified as a close contact?  

Player w/ household Positive Test

• Vaccinated and showing no symptoms
  • May return to skating immediately with a negative test.
  • Must monitor for symptoms (if symptoms develop a negative test is required before returning to hockey)
  • Must Wear a mask indoors on and off the ice, not use locker room and come fully dressed to rink for 10 days since first household symptoms appeared
  • Recommended that they test on day 5 from the exposure
  • Must notify CBHA via notify@cascobayhockey.com

 

• Unvaccinated
  • Must Quarantine from hockey at least 5 days from the conclusion of the household isolation (isolation in the same house means the end of the exposure is day 5 of isolation, meaning 10 total days of quarantine for the player/coach that remains negative).
  • 5 Day Quarantine re-starts if other family members test positive
  • Must notify CBHA via notify@cascobayhockey.com

 

Close Contact

Definition - The definition of a close contact is someone who was within 6 feet of a person diagnosed with COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24 hour period or identified by a school or medical professional as a “Close Contact”. The definition of a close contact applies regardless of whether either person was wearing a mask.

 

• Vaccinated and showing no symptoms
  • May return to hockey immediately
  • Must wear a mask indoors on and off the ice, not use locker room and come fully dressed to rink for 10 days from close contact.
  • Can test on day 5; a negative result allows for the removal of their mask on the ice (no locker room for 5 more days still)
  • Must monitor for symptoms (if symptoms develop a negative test is required before returning to hockey)

 

• Unvaccinated regardless of symptoms and participating in a school pool testing program
  • Close contact needs to be school based.
  • Must Quarantine from hockey until negative test result via school pool testing or other test
  • Upon negative test result may return to hockey but wear a mask indoors on and off the ice, not use locker room and come fully dressed to rink for 10 days (duration of at least two pool tests)
  • Must monitor for symptoms (if symptoms develop a negative test is required before returning to hockey)

 

• Unvaccinated regardless of symptoms and not participating in a school pool testing program
  • Must Quarantine from hockey at least 5 days from close contact
  • Upon conclusion of 5 day quarantine they may return to hockey but wear a mask indoors on and off the ice, not use locker room and come fully dressed to rink for 5 days
  • Must monitor symptoms
  • Must notify CBHA via notify@cascobayhockey.com

 

What happens if multiple players on the same team test positive or have entered quarantine for exposure during a rolling 14-day period?

Casco Bay COVID Committee will evaluate the above scenario and could possibly hold the team off the ice for a specified period of time to stop the spread of the outbreak.

On ice COVID exposure will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The focus will be to identify close contacts verses sweeping quarantines (provided the CDC does not change course on this new direction).  We want to stop the spread of the virus but also realize the damaging impact that quarantines can have on family livelihood and education.

 

Testing positive requires notification to Casco Bay Youth Hockey via notify@cascobayhockey.com.  A parent, guardian, or player should not feel obligated to report this to his/her coach or team administrator.  Parents may notify their child’s coach or TA, but it is not required.  

Casco Bay Hockey will follow the guidance of the Maine CDC regarding notification and contact tracing.  Our intention is to be as candid and forthcoming as possible while respecting the privacy of every member.  The Casco Bay Hockey COVID Committee reserves the right to have rules that are different than current Maine CDC and/or US CDC rules based on our best judgment of our sport and how to keep players safe.  The Committee also reserves the right to examine the application of our rules to each exposure situation and make exceptions when necessary.

Links:

USA Hockey Player Safety and Health: https://www.usahockey.com/playersafety

Maine CDC: https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/infectious-disease/epi/airborne/coronavirus/index.shtml

Click here or the document link below to download the Casco Bay Hockey Participant Agreement.

FMI/Questions about Casco Bay Hockey's guidelines please click president@cascobayhockey.com to email Matt Lambert.

Last updated 12/31/2021