Inclement Weather Policy

Natick Soccer Club INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY

NSC has designated a committee to determine the playing status of all fields on the day of a game. The Committee will make decisions (and post them on our website) about the playability of fields approximately 1 hour before games.  We will continue to post the status of whether fields are open/closed throughout the day with updates generally at 7:15 a.m., 10:00 a.m, and 12:00 p.m (as needed).  If the inclement weather persists or becomes severe, then the referee at the scheduled kickoff will make the decision about whether the game will be played.  Due to the varied nature of the Natick soccer facilities (with regard to drainage and general field composition) games at one facility may be canceled due to the field conditions at that facility while other Natick games may proceed as scheduled.  In addition, we are sometimes able to shift games to alternate locations where field conditions might be better.  These changes will be communicated on the website and with the coaches as soon as those decisions are made.

In the event of severe heavy rain or thunder/lightning:  Decisions about whether games should be played/continued will be made by the referee in consultation with the two head coaches.  If thunder is obviously far off, use common sense.  If there are ANY lightning strikes, we ask that the referee and the coaches suspend play immediately until there has been 30 minutes with no visible lightning in the area, or cancel the game.  The final decisions on playability with travel games rests with the referees.  The final decision on playability at games where there are no referees (and at Kinderkicks) rests with the coaches that are present.

It is not the intent of NSC to override a parent's decision. Parents certainly retain the right to decide if their child will participate in a game in inclement weather. NSC will make every effort to consider the safety and health of the children in our program, while also recognizing that soccer is a worldwide sport played in a variety of weather conditions.

If in doubt as to a game being played:
If you are a coach, check the website or call your coordinator.
If you are a parent, check the website or contact your coach or assistant coach.
If the website says the field is open and you do not receive a call, assume the game is being played.

Any travel games that are cancelled are required to be made up. The coach will need to coordinate with the Field Coordinator and the Head of Referees. A minimum of 4 days notice is necessary to ensure field availability and assigning of a referee.