Tennessee Soccer Club

Inclement Weather Guidelines & Communication Processes

Our first priority in any weather-related decisions is our players’ safety. Our goal is always to play through any weather conditions; however, if weather forecasts, field and/or driving conditions jeopardize our players’ safety, we will cancel.

Cold Weather Protocol

In order to prevent cold weather injury and provide for the safety of TSC players, the following protocol will be followed:

Players should arrive at training and match play with proper attire including warmups, hats, and/or gloves. Limit the amount of cotton you wear, as it has a tendency to retain moisture.
If the wind chill temperature falls below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, all outdoor team training sessions will be canceled for all age groups.
If the National Weather Service issues a Wind Chill Advisory or Warning, outdoor team training sessions may be limited to no more than 60 minutes (decision to be made and communicated by Club Leadership). Matches can be a day-of decision.

*TSC reserves the right to cancel outdoor training and games for select teams and age groups even if conditions do not meet the above if the club determines cancelation is in the safest interest of players and coaches*

The chart below from National Weather Service should act as a guide for determining temperature with wind chill taken into account.

Warm Weather Protocol

The TSC Warm Weather Protocol, in-line with US Soccer guidelines, is intended to serve as a guide for regulating match play, practice sessions, hydration breaks and participant safety during extremely hot conditions.

The chart below from National Weather Service should act as a guide for determining temperature with humidity taken into account.

Once heat index is determined based on chart above, all TSC teams should follow the guidelines below:

Heat Index Greater than 104 degrees F:
No outdoor training allowed.
Heat index between 98-103 degrees F:
Maximum of 90 minutes of training with minimum of four separate four-minute breaks each hour
Heat index between 94-97 degrees F:
Maximum of two hours of training with minimum of three separate four-minute breaks each hour, OR a 10-minute break every 30 minutes of training
Heat index between 90-93 degrees F:
Three separate three-minute breaks each hour, OR a 12-minute break every 40 minutes of training

Lightning Protocol

If lightning occurs within 10 miles of a facility where TSC training or matches are being held, all play is immediately suspended until there is no lightning within 10 miles.

All coaches and DOCs are to send players to sheltered areas at the facility OR to their cars (facility dependent)
When training at Tower Park, coaches and DOCs are to use the weather siren as the guide for suspending and resuming play

Communication Protocol in the Event of Inclement Weather

Our goal is to communicate cancellations as soon as a decision is made, and we strive to make a decision for all TSC locations by 3:30pm during the week and at least two hours prior to the start of the first scheduled game on the weekend. This affects carpool schedules and long commutes so we will do our best to stick to this schedule.

If no communication comes from the club on the day of training, all training is considered to be on as scheduled that evening.

Our Location Directors (Murfreesboro, Nashville and Sumner) are responsible for all weather- related decisions at their facilities and will communicate relevant updates to Club Leadership and the coaches / teams at their location.

In Williamson, assigned DOCs are responsible for all weather-related decisions after 3:30pm, including all on-field decisions. These DOCs will be assigned by Club Leadership each season. In the event of inclement weather occurring after 3:30pm and on-field at any TSC Williamson location, assigned DOCs will:

Monitor weather leading into the first session and during both sessions at their assigned facility
Communicate any necessary changes to all coaches with scheduled training at that facility on that evening
Ensure players, coaches and parents/guardians appropriately clear the field if training is suspended due to lightning

As a coach, if you receive communication from the DOC overseeing your training facility that your training session is canceled, postponed, etc., it is your responsibility to communicate to your team as quickly as possible. Your message to your families MUST include the following:

Your team name
Your training time
Your training location
This is all helpful for parents/guardians receiving multiple messages for multiple players in their family