Temperature or Rain
AYSO games proceed in rain or shine or cold or heat, so always bring hydration and dress in layers as appropriate. Our experience is that kids generally have fun regardless of the weather (including rain and cold). Players may wear additional clothing layers under their uniforms; players may wear gloves. No zippers, hoodies, drawstrings, or other clothing features that could injure the player or another player.
It is up to coaches to decide when to cancel practices for rain or cold weather.
Lightning, Thunder, and Severe Weather
We only cancel the full day’s games in the event of expected thunderstorms throughout the day, extreme weather warnings, or hazardous field conditions prompting either concern for player safety or damage to the fields. Such cancellations will be communicated via email by the Commissioner and posted on this website.
When lightning is sighted, or thunder heard, all activities must be suspended immediately and everyone should take shelter. Games and practices should also be stopped for severe weather warnings, such as tornado warnings. Play may resume 30 minutes after the last thunder is heard, or lightning seen.
Additionally, Lightning prediction and warning systems are in place at James Park and Robert Crown Park.
You will hear one 15-second blast of the horn and a strobe light will begin flashing when you need to exit the field. This signals that you must immediately seek an appropriate, safe shelter.
The strobe will continue flashing until safe conditions return. You may resume activities only after three 5-second blasts of the horn are sounded and the strobe light stops flashing.
The confusing way the sirens work leads to higher reliance on the strobe light as the key indicator. When it is flashing--clear the field (it flashes quite slowly, there is a several second gap between flashes); when it is not flashing, you are in the clear.
The strobe light at Crown is also in a precarious place: it is at the edge of the part of the roof that is straight where the angled roof over the ice rinks meets the main part of the building. You cannot see it from the parking lot. From maybe 1/3 of the way into the length of the fields, the angle of sight allows it to be visible.
The strobe light at James is on top of the James Park Fieldhouse (shed) back by Mt. Trashmore.
Other Circumstances
Individual games may be cancelled by the Commissioner or by coaches/referees in isolated circumstances due to current weather or field conditions.
Cancellations
Cancelled games for Core teams will not be rescheduled (IR/EXTRA may be rescheduled). With multiple games scheduled on each field on Sunday, games cannot be postponed; they will be cancelled if it is unsafe to play.
If games are cancelled, notification will be placed on this website and an email will be sent. The GameChanger app may not update: please use the website for the official status.
IR/EXTRA teams: please look for information from your team; cancellation decisions may be different for these games.