April 23, 2020 (7:00 pm) The
COVID-19 ("Coronavirus") pandemic has irrevocably changed the way we
live and work. We have adjusted to a new normal by proactively social
distancing and practicing good sanitizing habits to help curb the spread
of the virus. Business has adjusted as well -- dine-in restaurants have
shifted to delivery service, schools have switched to online classes,
grocery stores have installed plastic shield guards at check-out
stations.
All
these safeguards have been put in place to not only protect the health
and well-being of those patronizing their businesses but also to allow
these businesses to stay open, in some capacity, so they can continue to
serve their customers and employ their workers.
There
are encouraging signs that the most intensive phase of the battle
against the virus is succeeding and relaxed social distancing measures
will be possible when combined with reasonable mitigation strategies. Select
states have begun to look at re-opening segments of their local
economies as long as appropriate containment plans are in place and it
is considered safe to do so. As these local & state offices, along
with the federal government, begin to roll out their plans to re-open
the economy in phases, the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) looks to
do the same thing.
Since
1888, the AAU has hosted events for amateur athletes across the United
States. A national organization, the AAU is comprised of 55 District
Offices modeled closely on the U.S. 50 states. Following
recent federal guidelines for opening up the economy, and taking note
of select states enacting such measures in their areas, the AAU looks to
follow suit.
As
of May 1st, the AAU will begin to evaluate lifting the temporary
suspension of AAU events (in place since March 12th) in certain areas of
the country. This first phase of re-opening AAU event
programming will only apply to select locales where and when it has been
deemed safe to do so. And, strict requirements must be met before AAU
event programming can restart.
REQUIREMENTS
In order to resume AAU event programming in a particular area of the country, the following criteria must be met:
- Federal Guidelines - Adhere to any federal guidelines for re-opening (click here)
- CDC Recommendations - Follow CDC recommendations when hosting events (click here)
- State, County and Local Municipality Regulations - Abide by state, county and local municipality requirements (please consult with state, county and municipality officials or info listed at state, county, and municipality websites)
- Facility/Venue Protocols - Follow all protocols for the venue by consulting with facility management team.
- AAU District and National Sport Committee Requirements – Follow the event license agreement (click here). For events already licensed with AAU, the event operator will need to notify the AAU of plans to host, cancel or postpone the event by clicking here. The AAU national office will notify district and national sport committees respectively. To license a new event, click here.
News continues to update daily on the status of the pandemic and these safety measures are subject to change.
Throughout
our country's history, sports has always played a major role in our
recovery efforts after global crisis and economic downturns. We are
aware there will be some who disagree with us. As a country and as a
society, we need to reframe our new reality and get back to people
working, people interacting and people playing sports wherever possible
and safe to do so. We know this will not happen overnight nor will we go
back to the way things used to be. The roll out will be in segments and
will come over time.
Stay safe, be well and remember We Are AAU.
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April 7, 2020 (5:00 pm) - Like
all of you, the AAU continues to monitor the development of COVID-19
(“Coronavirus”) across the country and around the world. These are
unprecedented times as we navigate the global pandemic and put our
efforts towards helping to slow the spread of the disease.
Seemingly overnight, terms such as
‘flatten the curve’ and ‘social distancing’ have become part of our
national language and part of our daily life. While people have had to
adjust to this new normal, businesses have had to adapt as well. The AAU
has been no exception.
Sports For All, Forever has been the
AAU’s focus and drive for the past 130 years and counting. And, while
events are the AAU's business, the health and well-being of AAU
participants are at the forefront of our mind during this time.
Therefore, we will continue to follow the guidelines set out by public health officials and extend the temporary suspension of AAU event programming through April 30th. We recognize the undue hardship suspending AAU licensed events has had on many of you.
While it is our fervent hope to
resume events in the near future, we feel strongly extending the
temporary suspension of AAU licensed events is the right thing to do at
this time.
We will share updates with you as new information becomes available. Stay safe, be well, and remember We Are AAU.
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March 25, 2020 (4:00 pm) - The
health and well-being of athletes, coaches, and their families is
always the AAU’s top priority. Along with the rest of the world, we
have continued to closely monitor the developing COVID-19
(“Coronavirus”) situation.
After reviewing the latest CDC guidelines and in consultation with local officials, the AAU has decided to extend the temporary suspension of licensed AAU events through April 15th.
This is a decision that the AAU organization did not make lightly but
one we strongly feel is in the best interest of everyone involved in AAU
events.
These are unprecedented times that have called for unprecedented
measures. Nonetheless, we know this is the right decision. We must
continue to do our part to keep our communities safe and healthy until
such a time that we resume AAU event programing. It is truly our hope
that we can get back to running AAU events in the very near future after
this extension. We will continue to consult with local officials and
health experts to ensure that the safety of AAU athletes, coaches, and
their families is not compromised.
Since 1888, the AAU has been the industry leader in the amateur sports
marketplace. Moving forward, we remain committed to providing the very
best athletic opportunities to all who play AAU sports and will continue
to provide updates as additional information becomes available. Thank
you for your continued participation in AAU.
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March 12, 2020 (6:30 pm) - In
light of the ongoing developments as a result of COVID-19
(“Coronavirus”), the AAU is temporarily suspending all AAU events, for
the next 3 weeks, effective immediately. The AAU’s first priority is
the safety and welfare of all of our athletes, coaches and families.
The AAU will continue to monitor the situation on a national, regional,
state and local level. We will keep all of our AAU members updated as
the situation evolves.
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March 12, 2020 (2:15 pm) -
As the COVID-19 (“coronavirus”) situation continues to evolve, the AAU
is working diligently to keep our parents, coaches and event directors
updated as much as possible. We indeed recognize the absolute
seriousness of this on-going issue and are dedicated to providing the
most up-to-date information on AAU events across the country as it
becomes available.
At this time, please continue to check www.aausports.org and AAU sports websites for information related to AAU national events; updates will be posted there.
In addition to national-level events, the AAU has a long history of
events across the country that are operated by independent event
directors at the local, state and regional levels. The decisions
relative to these events are made at the local level. We continue to
encourage all our members and event directors involved in AAU events to
engage with their local health officials and continue to be guided by
the information offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to formulate appropriate decisions and preparations.
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March 5, 2020 - As
with the rest of the world, AAU leadership is monitoring the on-going
developments related to the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, with great
interest.
The AAU takes the safety and well-being of its members, teams,
volunteers and employees seriously. We are consulting with the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and encourage you to continue
to follow CDC updates as they become available. Please contact your
local health and public officials for questions specific to your area.
The AAU is continuing to monitor the situation carefully and is working
closely with appropriate officials to provide AAU members and volunteers
updates as needed.
As the world at large faces an uncertain future in regards to
coronavirus, be assured AAU leadership is keeping its focus wholly on
the health and safety of all who participate in AAU events. As we
prepare for what may come, we will continue to make this our highest
priority.
More Information
For more information on the coronavirus, visit the CDC’s coronavirus page. CDC guidance on clinical signs and symptoms and infection prevention and control recommendations are available here.