Limited University of Oregon athletics facilities will be available for a small group of student-athletes participating in voluntary workouts as of Monday, June 15, under strict guidelines intended to support health and safety and reduce the potential for an outbreak of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
Under direction from Oregon Governor Kate Brown, the university’s spring academic quarter was conducted remotely and facilities have largely been closed since mid-March. Campus administrators are planning for the fall quarter to be conducted in-person, and Monday’s phased re-opening of athletics facilities is among the first tangible steps.
The Pac-12 Conference provided guidance to its members that allows for voluntary athletics activities to resume as of Monday, and the Oregon Health Authority has agreed that the two member schools from Oregon can return on that timeline. Since March, the only permissible use of athletics facilities by student-athletes has been for medical and mental health appointments. In the beginning of a measured, phased approach, a limited number of workout groups from the UO football team in small cohorts will be able to access UO facilities for voluntary offseason workout programs.
Several student-athletes from other fall sports who remained in Eugene this spring also can access facilities beginning Monday. Other squads will have a staggered return during the course of the summer as the department takes a conservative approach to bringing student-athletes back to campus.
There has been an extensive education program with student-athletes and staff regarding these protocols, all of which have been shared with parents of student-athletes as well.
The voluntary workout programs will be conducted using guidelines prepared by the Pac-12’s Medical Advisory Board and the UO Incident Management Team, and within the guidance provided by the Governor’s office, Oregon Health Authority and Lane County Public Health. UO’s plan in place was designed by director of athletic medicine Dr. Craig Davidson and senior associate director of athletic medicine Kim Terrell, both of whom are participants in the Pac-12 Medical Advisory Board.
Most student-athletes interested in participating in the workouts will be returning to Eugene from out of the area. They have been asked to monitor any symptoms for seven days prior to leaving their hometowns and then to isolate for seven days upon arriving; at some point during that period, returning student-athletes will be tested for both past and acute viral infections and have an extensive pre-participation physical.
Following that weeklong transition period, they can begin using UO athletics facilities such as weight rooms, indoor and outdoor practice fields as well as Matthew Knight Arena, in small groups to facilitate physical distancing and taking precautions that include the required use of face coverings. There is also a plan in place for increased sanitation of all spaces and high-touch areas, as well as for extensive and frequent cleaning of all weight equipment following each individual use.
Any positive tests will be reported to Lane County Public Health, and per University protocols there will be a secured living environment for isolation for a minimum of 10 days as well as contact tracing after exposure. There will be a gradual return to activity following isolation for anyone testing positive.
All student-athletes and staff using the facilities will undergo daily symptom-screening and temperature checks, and will be expected to practice diligent personal hygiene throughout each day. High-traffic areas like locker rooms, lounges and dining facilities will not be available initially; food services will continue to be provided on a to-go basis.
In addition, any meetings among groups of student-athletes or staff of any size will be conducted virtually, as has been the case the past three months.
