Extreme Weather and Air Quality Policy
Player, staff, and family safety is of upmost importance during Wenatchee FC Youth sanctioned activities. Many factors contribute to environmental safety threats, and the club may cancel games and/or training sessions due to severe weather or poor air quality. The club will make decisions in a comprehensive fashion to best support the safety of club members, fellow competitors, and guests. While decisions on cancelations will be made as early as possible, changing conditions and hope that conditions will allow us to play, could mean that some decisions will be made later than is most convenient. Thank you in advance for your understanding and patience, as these decisions can be difficult to make.
Wenatchee FC Youth will refer to US Soccer guidelines, and coaches are required to be knowledgeable of the US Soccer Heat and Cold Guidelines and related illness recognition materials linked below.
US Soccer Environmental Conditions Information: here
SUMMARY
- Wenatchee FC Youth leadership reserves authority to cancel training and games due to environmental safety threats, including conditions that do not meet the below guidelines.
- Coaches have discretion to cancel training or games if on-site conditions warrant safety action.
- Extreme Heat: Training/games will be cancelled if the start-time WBGT exceeds 90º F (calculated temp) or the measured temperature exceeds 105ºF.
- Extreme Cold: Training/games will be cancelled if the start-time Wind Chill Temperature Index is less than 10º F.
- Lightning/Thunder: Training/games are to stop immediately if lighting and/or thunder are in the area.
- Air Quality: Training/games will be cancelled if the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaches 150 or above.
EXTREME HEAT
US Soccer Heat Guidelines: here
Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) will be considered to gauge physiologic heat stress, as endorsed by the American College of Sports Medicine. WBGT is a calculation based on temperature, relative humidity, wind, cloud cover, etc. The WBGT estimation chart below, or online WBGT calculator tools, will be used to assist decisions on heat related cancellations.
Wenatchee area conditions will be taken from the National Weather Service reporting station: here
Training/games will be cancelled if the start-time WBGT exceeds 90º F (calculated temp) or if the measured temperature exceeds 105ºF.
The Wenatchee area will be considered a Category 2 location for the following recommendations:
EXTREME COLD
US Soccer Cold Guidelines: here
Wenatchee area conditions will be taken from the National Weather Service reporting station: here
Training/games will be cancelled if the start-time Wind Chill Temperature Index is less than 10º F.
LIGHTNING/THUNDERSTORMS
Training/games are to stop immediately if lightning and/or thunder are in the area. All participants are advised to take shelter immediately. Training/games will be delayed for 30 minutes from when thunder or lightning is first experienced, and only restart after 30 minutes has passed without experiencing thunder or lightning.
AIR QUALITY
Air Quality Index (AQI) readings from the below resources will be monitored:
Training/games will be cancelled if the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaches 150 or above.
Washington Premier League AQ Policy.
