After Winning A Huge Majority, Turner Finally Takes Lead At Cal South and Works To Restart Soccer
Cal South is now on track to become a great state association, again.
UPDATED With Return To Play Information for San Diego County – One Step Closer To Getting Kids Back Training
The fact that it took weeks for Bob Turner to assume the leadership role as president of Cal South, after winning by an overwhelming majority, is a clear reflection of the fractured dysfunction that has existed in America’s southern most US Youth Soccer State Association. With congratulations on winning the election from hundreds of people in the soccer community, Turner stepped down as an officer of San Diego’s Presidio Soccer League and took office on the state level.
Turner has not abandoned his administration of Presidio and is now taken on the role of Executive Director, helping the league’s 54 youth soccer clubs and its 21,000 plus youth soccer players.
Cal South Bylaws had issues with an old clause stipulating an “Officer of Cal South may not simultaneously serve as an officer of any Affiliate Member or Special Member. If elected to the Board, any person who is an officer of any Affiliate Member or Special Member must resign that office prior to being qualified for and to assuming the office of the Corporation to which he or she was elected.”
“I am honored to be elected as the president of Cal South.”
President & Chairman – Cal South
Now, Turner has the greatest challenge facing any association, organizing Return to Play as the country begins to ease the restrictions from the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Turner is dedicated to the well being of Cal South’s 136,000 players, coaches, and administrators and spearheading an appropriate response to the pandemic.
“First of all, I want to thank all of those that have supported me for many years and those that voted for me. Those of you that didn’t vote for me, I want you to know I will work very hard to gain your trust but we MUST work together to make Cal South the best that it can be because we all deserve nothing less,” says Turner.
Read: BOB TURNER WINS CAL SOUTH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WITH HUGE MAJORITY
“I have spent many years building a level of communication and trust as President of Presidio and I intend to continue to do so while bringing the same work ethic and inclusiveness to all Cal South members,” says Turner. “As most of you know, and have expressed, Cal South has many issues and much work to be done — but with the horrible COVID-19 pandemic that our country and the world is going through, it is even more important for strong leadership to best handle the unprecedented challenges we are and will be enduring.”
Read: ARIZONA RETURNS TO PLAY — YOUTH SOCCER RESTARTS THIS WEEKEND
Soccer activities in Californa have been suspended since early March and it will not be lifted until State authorities have lifted or made any changes to their Stay-At-Home Order.
Turner is working with Kristin Gaspar from the San Diego County Board of Supervisors as well as the State Capitol and California Governor Gavin Newsom‘s office to clear the path for soccer to restart safely for all Cal South members.
Accelerated Plan For The Return To Play For San Diego County Youth Soccer Clubs
Yesterday, on May 19, there was a highly successful call with Gaspar and the Board of Supervisors has approved the plan for a safe return to play for youth sports.
Now the plan will be submitted to the California Department of Public Health and the Governor’s Gavin Newsom for their approval. Once they approve the County’s pilot program proposals, businesses from these sectors can begin to reopen.
The Return To Play plan for youth soccer players in San Diego County is part of a Pilot Program which will allow a select number of businesses from Stage 3 to gradually reopen ahead of the schedule outlined by the state.
California is currently in Stage 2 and the efforts are to move “San Diego further into Stage 2 of the California Resiliency Roadmap in the coming days,” according to the County of San Diego Communications Office.
This plan will take a multi-step phase approach to train over the next few weeks, beginning with training groups of twelve players in each training team pod, and will implement social distancing and other accepted criteria to minimize contact and maximize training benefit and utility.
The pilot program also includes outdoor religious services, research labs, hair and nail salons, fitness facilities, youth sports and clubs, and pools at apartment complexes.
This plan is part of San Diego County’s accelerated return to normalcy, which is based on established protocols.
The overall plan is expected to proceed rapidly through each phase, so that there is a safe and logical progression from training, to gaming, to tournaments.
Earlier in the week, Turner participated in a Board of Supervisors meeting on zoom to review written protocols which would eventually be reviewed by the Public Health Officer and sent to the Governor of California for approval. There were 215 participants on the zoom meeting, including stakeholders from LA and other areas.
“This effort was the best opportunity for Cal South to begin a restart of soccer — and it was successful.”
Bob Turner, President & Chairman – Cal South
“While this targets San Diego County, if successful, it provides a blueprint to go forward and begin to get players in Santa Barbara and south back on the fields,” says Turner. “We are also currently working on behalf of Orange & Riverside Counties, however, the LA area may be the last to get back to Phase 1 soccer activities because of the higher rate of the Coronavirus COVID-19.”
“I check the numbers of confirmed cases of COVID-19 for each county every morning.”
Bob Turner, President & Chairman – Cal South
Read: BOB TURNER WANTS TO BE PRESIDENT OF USYS CAL SOUTH and BOB TURNER’S DEDICATION TO YOUTH SOCCER
This phased approach to reopening soccer activities in San Diego as California progresses successfully from lifting shelter in place requirements.
In addition, Cal South has reviewed the recommendations in US Youth Soccer Return to Activity Notice.
The goal is to get back on the field as soon as it is safe.
“I want our return to play led by science and obviously we know that FIFA has declared that spitting is now a yellow card because COVID-19 is spread through a droplet of saliva as well as mucus,” says Turner.
All measures of the San Diego County’s Social Distancing and Sanitation Protocol must be in place. This checklist represents additional requirements for an organized sport program to conduct only limited practices and drills in San Diego County in order to provide recreational opportunities for the youth of San Diego County within social distancing guidelines. Several youth soccer clubs, initially City SC, and Surf SC, and now the majority of youth clubs including Albion SC, DMCV Sharks, San Diego SC, Oceanside Breakers, and many others are helping lead the charge of reopening the area and drafting documents.
On May 19, the San Diego Board of Supervisors met and voted on the “Acceleration Plan” to re-open San Diego as safely and quickly as possible.
Among the precautions to minimize the risks of the Coronavirus COVID-19 are the following — final information on the protocols of the Accelerated Plan will be confirmed soon.
- All state and local social distancing recommendations are to be followed
- Facemasks for coaches and any adults participating or helping
- Temperature check on coach and anyone involved in practice sessions
- The facility cannot have food courts or snack bars open
- The facility has to have one way in, drop off and one way out
- No parents can participate or even be on the fields of practice
- Parents have to sign an agreement to participate during this time
- Only small group training permitted in the initial phase
- The facility needs to provide hand sanitizer – handwashing with soap and water
- No carpooling to and from the facility
Our vision is that every athlete will be safe, supported, and strengthened through sport. Athletes are protected from emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Athletes enjoy welcome, respectful environments, and diversity is actively embraced. Athletes use the skills they’ve learned in sport to contribute to the well-being of their communities. Every athlete thrives, on and off the field of play.
The above is an excerpt from ORGANIZED YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAM PRACTICE AND DRILL ONLY PHYSICAL DISTANCING & SAFETY PLAN FOR SAN DIEGO COUNTY.
Turner and his team are determined to support Southern California’s youth soccer clubs’ effort to get their players back on the soccer fields — as soon as it is reasonably safe.
Check the Cal South COVID-19 information page (English & Spanish) for current updates. Click here for the latest California Guidance Documents
