The goal of the Alabama Community College Conference (Conference) is to provide the safest Game Day environment for our members, teams, spectators, and more importantly, student-athletes. The Conference has been working in conjunction with Conference presidents, athletic directors, and the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) to keep Conference member campuses, facilities, and individuals safe and within CDC, State of Alabama, and local guidelines. It is more important now than ever that all of us follow these guidelines and recommendations so that we all may stay safe and continue playing throughout the 2021 spring semester.
As the members and teams of the Conference are participating in official regular season events, the Conference is pleased to amend spectator attendance guidance for all events. Indoor sports (basketball/volleyball) facility shall limit occupancy to 25% of the normal occupancy load as determined by the fire marshal. For outdoor sports (baseball/golf/softball/tennis), fans are allowed. For both indoor and outdoor facilities, all guidelines below MUST be followed.
Enforcement will be the responsibility of the host institution or host facility. Individual institutions and /or host facilities may adopt additional procedures and protocols consistent with their specific needs and circumstances to help protect their team personnel, campus, and the health and safety of all in attendance. These guidelines are meant to mitigate, not eliminate the spreading of COVID-19.
Minimum guidelines are as follows:
- Spectators may not spectate at an outdoor Conference event from close-proximity to any event activities or personnel. Close-proximity is defined as being physically near any home or away teams, team personnel and game officials before, during, or following the event. Bleacher seating is allowed on institutional basis;
- For basketball and volleyball events, spectators must be located opposite of team benches, may not be seated in the first four rows opposite of the team benches; and must wear a mask or other facial covering that covers the nostrils and mouth at all times;
- Spectators are required to follow CDC, Alabama Department of Public Health, and local health and campus guidelines;
- Spectators who are exhibiting signs of illness or Covid-19 related symptoms are prohibited from attending events (CDC - Symptoms of Coronavirus);
- Restrictions on attendance will continue to be subject to national, State, local, and campus conditions and guidelines;
- Indoor facility shall limit facility occupancy to 25% percent of the normal occupancy load as determined by the fire marshal;
- Outdoor venues or those not assigned a normal occupancy load by the fire marshal shall limit occupancy as required to comply with required social distancing requirements;
- Specific spectator, team and umpire/official/referee entry and exit points must be clearly labeled for arriving and departing the facility and sufficient traffic flow;
- Proper signage should be at entry points for spectators that articulates expectations related to:
- Proper social distancing and personal hygiene; and
- Mask requirements;
- Public address announcer shall make announcements during the event reminding spectators of mask requirements, social distancing, and hygiene;
- Younger children must remain with their parent or guardian throughout the event;
- Spectators shall not congregate within six-feet of a person from another household, except to the extent necessary—and only to the extent necessary;
- While entering, exiting, and walking the facility, spectators must wear a mask or other facial covering that covers the nostrils and mouth at all times, and while within 6 feet of a person from another household.;
- When feasible, spectators must use separate restrooms from team personnel;
- Plenty of hand sanitizer stations should be available on the premises;
- The host institution should leave open facility windows and doors at entry/exit points;
- All food and beverage provided to fans, student-athletes, coaches, staff, officials, etc. MUST be prepackaged, grab-and-go items, including cans and bottles for beverages. No fountain drinks will be distributed;
- Spectators are not allowed on the playing surface (basketball/volleyball), inside the fence (baseball/softball), or locker rooms for any reason;
- At the conclusion of the event, spectators must immediately exit the facility through defined exits or confines of the field. No loitering will be allowed;
- Conference teams and personnel are to follow all Conference Return to Play Guidelines before, during, and after event.
* Conference members are allowed to establish stricter policies than stated above, including prohibiting spectators from the facilities.
For communication purposes, it is highly recommended that the visiting team athletic director/coach confirm spectator allowance with the host member/facility and forward that information to all team supporters, and make visible on available social media and websites.
Currently, the allowance of spectators by institution are (subject to change based on individual institutions):
Bevill State - Indoor and outdoor spectators allowed
Bishop State - NO indoor or outdoor spectators
Calhoun - Outdoor spectators allowed
Central Alabama - Outdoor spectators allowed
Chattahoochee Valley - Home team family only for indoor; Outdoor allowed
Coastal Alabama-Bay Minette - NO indoor spectators; Outdoor allowed
Coastal Alabama-Brewton - NO indoor spectators; Outdoor allowed
Coastal Alabama-Monroeville - NO indoor spectators; Outdoor allowed
Enterprise State - NO indoor spectators; Outdoor allowed
Gadsden State - NO visiting team or general public spectators for indoor; Outdoor allowed
Jefferson State - Golf Only
Lawson State - NO indoor or outdoor spectators
LB Wallace - NO indoor spectators; Outdoor allowed
Marion Military - Home team spectators ONLY for indoor and outdoor
Northeast Alabama - Golf only
Shelton State - Home team family ONLY for indoor; Outdoor allowed
Snead State - Indoor and outdoor allowed
Southern Union - Indoor and outdoor spectators allowed
Wallace-Dothan - Outdoor allowed
Wallace-Selma - NO indoor or outdoor spectators
Wallace State - Indoor and outdoor spectators allowed
PLEASE contact the insitition of choice for updated Spectator Policy.