Last Edit: September 7, 2020

Summary
Athletic practices are a pivotal part of Gunston’s interscholastic program. In order to bring interscholastic practice and competition back safely, there are additional guidelines, procedures, and restrictions in-place that aim to provide safe participation.

Currently, the Eastern Shore Independent Athletic Conference (ESIAC) will be moving forward with a fall interscholastic season. Teams will are open to student-athletes to join and participate within while the ‘no-cut’ policy will remain. 

Gunston is working in conjunction with the Queen Anne’s County Health Department and consistently reviewing state and federal health guidelines to deliver a safe reintroduction to interscholastic athletics.

Screening
All student-athletes will undergo a daily screening process which includes a recorded survey and temperature check. In addition to this screening, all participants must have a completed physical examination on file with the School Nurse.

Student-athletes who are present for the academic day will be screened upon their arrival to campus at the designated morning checkpoints. Those individuals with assigned parking spaces may park in that space.

Student-athletes who are not present on-campus for the academic day will also be screened prior to practice and competition.This screening will include a temperature check and recorded survey. Recorded surveys must be completed by NOON before arriving on-campus. Upon arrival, student-athletes must be screened at one of the designated screening sites for a temperature check.

If a student-athlete is dropped by a non-participant and that non-participant chooses to remain on-campus, the non-participant must be temperature checked. Additionally, non-participants must remain in their car until that student-athlete’s practice concludes. Non-participants are not permitted to walk around campus or watch practice outside their vehicle.

Screening Sites
Based on the sports being offered, the proposed screening process prior to practice is below:

Coaches will coordinate screening at the field/waterfront. Students will have a brief, masked walk to practice from where they are parked or dropped off. The survey must be completed prior to noon and checked by the School Nurse and Athletics Department.

Field Hockey - Field House Parking Lot
Girls’ Soccer - Field House Parking Lot
Boys’ Soccer - Tennis Court/BVS Field
Tennis - Tennis Court Parking Lot
Water Sports - Everdell Parking Lot

Additional Safety Protocols
Student-athletes must arrive and depart from practices while wearing a facemask. Upon arrival to practice, the student-athlete may remove the facemask at the instruction of the coaching staff. During practice, facemasks will not be required; however, during any prolonged breaks in play, facemasks must be worn.

Furthermore, social distancing remains an integral part of the safety protocol. When not actively in practice, student-athletes are required to socially distance to the maximum extent possible. Coaches will increase the amount of individual training and limit scrimmages.

Practice
Practice times will be from 2:45-5:00pm. This will be a ‘cascading’ sports practice. 

On-campus student-athletes will be able to transition from the academic day to athletics practices immediately.

Off-campus student-athletes will be able to join practices upon their arrival to campus after their academic obligations have concluded for that day and they have been screened. 

Student-athletes are prohibited from leaving a scheduled academic class to arrive to campus on-time for athletics practice. Any athlete needing bus transportation may leave practice early without penalty.

Equipment
Equipment is defined as any necessary physical resource that is required to successfully practice and compete within an interscholastic sport. This would include, but not limited to, racquets, sticks, balls, cones, practice jerseys, oars, exercise equipment, nets, helmets, golf clubs, and water bottles/coolers.

Student-athletes will be prohibited from sharing any equipment during practices with the exception of a required communal piece of equipment such as a soccer, field hockey, and tennis ball. In this instance, student-athletes must avoid using their hands while handling such equipment.  If hands must be used, students should immediately wash/sanitize their hands.

Please refer to the sport-specific guide for additional safety precautions for Sailing, Rowing, and Independent/Remote (listed below).

Equipment that is necessary for practice but is not required to be handled by more than one person such as cones or practice goals, will be handled by the coaching staff only.

Equipment at the end of the practice will be thoroughly cleaned by the coaching staff using an approved cleaner from the Gunston Health Office.

Additional equipment requirements

• Students will bring their own water bottle to practice. No school provided water jugs or bottles will be present at practices or competitions. Please bring an ample supply of water for there will not be an opportunity to refill the bottle.
• Students are prohibited from sharing practice pinnies
• Exercise equipment (weights, erg machines, etc.) must be sanitized by the coaching staff or user prior to additional usage.
• Additional hand sanitizer will be made available during practices.

Equipment Storage

• Tennis Equipment - Tennis Center
• Soccer equipment - Tennis Center 
• FH Equipment - FH Porch
• Rowing Equipment - Heron House
• Sailing Equipment - Boathouse
• Golf Equipment - Personal
• XC Equipment - Personal

Indoor Facilities

• All practices will take place in an outdoor setting. 
• No student will have access to indoor facilities once practice begins, including restrooms.
• Additional portable restroom facilities will be made available.

Additional Considerations
In the event of inclement weather, athletic teams will have designated indoor spaces to wait for bussing or to be picked up. All student-athletes must be masked and practice social distancing when walking to the indoor space and when seated indoors. Coaches will take attendance and determine the viability of continuing practice or dismissing the student-athletes for the day. Upon dismissal, student-athletes that have transported themselves may leave. All other student-athletes will remain in the indoor space, supervised by the coach, until they depart campus.

Last Edit: September 7, 2020

Summary
Gunston’s mission emphasizes the importance of maintaining a healthy mind, body, and spirit. As part of Gunston’s graduation requirement, students are required to complete two seasons of athletics.

Independent Sports
Independent sports are offered if a student is interested in pursuing an athletic activity or sport that Gunston does not currently offer as part of the Athletic Department. Some of these have included:

• Cheerleading
• Crossfit
• Dance
• Equestrian
• Ice Hockey
• Shooting Sports (Riflery, Archery, Trap Shooting)
• Swimming
• Volleyball
• Water Polo

Students participating in these independent sports will need to complete five hours per week in order to receive credit. These independent sports must have a designated supervisor and recorded hours to be later submitted to the Athletics Department for credit.

All independent sports must be approved.

Remote Sports
Remote sports are available for students that are not participating in on-campus or independent sports. This is a self-guided, app-based athletics credit.

Students interested in remote sports will complete three workouts per week using the school approved app, Volt Athletics. These workouts are a variety of High Intensity, Interval Training (HIIT) and do not require any equipment. Gunston’s Athletic Department will send an evite to join the App at no charge to the student.

In addition to the Volt Athletics workouts, a student will need to complete two supplemental athletic activities of 20 minutes or more. These have included:

• Bicycling
• Pilates
• Skateboarding/Rollerblading
• Running
• Water Sports (Paddling and Sailing)
• Yoga

Remote Sports Requirement Overview

• Three Volt Workouts per week
  AND
• Two Supplemental activities (at least 20 minutes in length)

Last Edit: Friday, September 7, 2020

Coaching Staff: Thomas Chafey and Zack Hoisington

This document will serve as an addendum regarding sport-specific procedures.

Please refer to the Interscholastic Athletics Practice Procedures (above)  regarding screening, arrival and departure, inclement weather, and indoor spaces.

Arrival to Practice
Upon parking in the Everdell Parking Lot, student-athletes will be screened by a member of the coaching staff outside the Heron House.

Coaches will have on-campus sailors on-water beginning at 2:45pm while arriving student-athletes will begin warm-up and conditioning drills with a land-based coach.

Boating
Student-athletes that are currently on-campus will practice within the same boat grouping. They will not be mixed with off-campus student-athletes. If a sailing partner is missing for that day’s practice, the sailor will sail as a single.

Equipment
Equipment will be stored in ‘pods’ in the Gunston Boathouse. Boats will be stored on the Molly Dock. Masts, sails, and additional equipment will not change boats. Example: Equipment Bag 1 will correspond to Boat 1.

Equipment will be sanitized by the coaching staff at the conclusion of practice.

Boats will need to be loaded and unloaded from a trailer. During this time, student-athletes will be needed to accomplish this task. Masks will be worn at all times and upon completion of the unloading/loading process, hand sanitizer will be provided.

On-Water Sailing
All student-athletes will be required to wear a mask. This includes during rigging/derigging, warmup*, and sailing. Once the boat has been launched, masks may be removed.

*If socially distancing is maintained, student-athletes may remove their masks during warmup and cool down activities.

Off-Water Conditioning
Masks are not required when completing off-water conditioning if proper social distancing is strictly maintained. All equipment must be sprayed down with a Nurse’s Office approved cleaner upon completion of the workout.
 

Last Edit: Friday, September 7, 2020

Coaching Staff: Carter Law and Tammy Boone 

This document will serve as an addendum regarding sport-specific procedures.

Please refer to the Interscholastic Athletics Practice Procedures regarding screening, arrival and departure, inclement weather, and indoor spaces.

Arrival to Practice
Upon parking in the Everdell Parking Lot, student-athletes will be screened by a member of the coaching staff outside the Heron House.

Coaches will have on-campus rowers on-water beginning at 2:45pm while arriving student-athletes will begin warm-up and conditioning drills with a land-based coach.

Boating
Student-athletes that are currently on-campus will practice within the same boat groups. They will not be mixed with off-campus student-athletes.

Equipment
Equipment will be stored in ‘pods’ along the waterfront fence line which will correspond to specific boats. Example: Pod 1 will correspond to Boat 1.

Coxswains will be issued a designated headset for the duration of the fall season. This will not be shared amongst coxswains.

Equipment pods will be sanitized by the coaching staff at the conclusion of practice. No student-athlete will share equipment (i.e. oars) during a practice.

Boats will need to be loaded and unloaded from a trailer. During this time, student-athletes will be needed to accomplish this task. Masks will be worn at all times and upon completion of the unloading/loading process, hand sanitizer will be provided.

On-Water Rowing
All student-athletes will be required to wear a mask when not actively rowing on-water. This includes during rigging/derigging, warmup*, and launching. Once the boat has been launched, masks may be removed.

Coxswains that face active rowers will be required to wear a mask and face shield when seated in a rowing shell.

*If socially distancing is maintained, student-athletes may remove their masks during warmup and cooldown activities.

Off-Water Conditioning
Erging is permissible within the Heron House provided erg machines are 6 feet apart and all windows remain open. Masks are not required when erging. All machines must be sprayed down with a Nurse’s Office approved cleaner upon completion of the workout.

During ‘dryland’ workouts, masks may be removed by the student-athlete; however, social distancing is required.