During the summer months, when soccer programming is most frequent and outdoors, being mindful of high temperatures while exercising is imperative for ensuring player safety. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are real risks from prolonged sun exposure, lack of hydration, or significant strenuous activity while in the heat. A combination of factors can impact how any person handles the heat. However, younger people, especially infants, young children, and seniors (65+).
As such, scheduled programming will be cancelled in the event the temperature, including humidex, exceeds 40°C.
Sarnia Girls Soccer Club follows Canada Soccer Guidelines pertaining to Thunder & Lightning. Thunder always accompanies lightning, and so the saying goes, "When thunder roars, go indoors!"
When it comes to stormy weather before or during gameplay, the ultimate decision is left to Club Directors and match officials. As soon as thunder is heard or lightning is spotted, the match official will blow their whistle and/or the Club will sound a horn, indicating for ALL play to cease and for ALL PEOPLE (players or otherwise) to vacate the fields and seek shelter.
It's important to note that MORE people are struck BEFORE and AFTER a storm than during one. Proper, safe shelter is generally considered a fully enclosed building with wiring and plumbing. Sheds, gazebos/picnic shelters, tents, or other covered porches are not suitable as they do not protect you from lightning.
At Sarnia Girls Soccer Club, the Club facility is available for shelter, as well as going back to/staying in one's vehicle, provided it has a hard metal roof.
Play can resume ONLY if and when, lightning and thunder have been consistently absent for 30 minutes. Each new lightning strike spotted or thunder boom heard, restarts the count.
Eventually, the teams may agree and/or the Club may decide to cancel any games if the delay persists for a significant amount of time. For evening games, this is generally capped at 1-hour, as games would run out of daylight before completion.
You can review Canada Soccer's Severe Weather Policy HERE.
Poor air quality causes risk to everyone, especially for those exercising, and even more so for those with asthma or other respiratory health conditions. While rare, sometimes air quality is diminished by forest fires and the winds that cause smoke to travel.
If and when the Air Quality Index, reaches a high value of 7-10, scheduled programming will be cancelled. Again, notice of such a cancelation will be provided by 4:00 pm EDT, the day of scheduled programming via Sarnia Girls' Soccer Club's Facebook page.
You can review the Air Quality Index, at the link below.