Game Delays & Cancellations
The AFDC will make every reasonable effort to hold games on scheduled dates/times while keeping player and field safety in mind. Organizers will try to hold off on making a decision until they can make an accurate assessment of the conditions, which may include going to a field site before making a decision. In the event of a delay, postponement, or cancellation organizers will communicate players as timely as possible.
- Organizers and/or captains will notify participants via email.
Lightning
It does not have to rain for lightning to be present.
Lightning proximity is determined using the “flash-bang” method. Count the seconds from lightning strike to the sound of thunder and divide the number of seconds by 5. The result is an estimate for the range of the lightning strike in miles.
When lightning within an 8 mile range is identified twice, the following policy should be followed for all AFDC events:
- All players must evacuate the field and seek shelter immediately. Safe shelter includes: enclosed buildings or fully enclosed metal vehicles with windows up. Safe shelter does not include tournament tents.
- If you can’t get to safe shelter, avoid other tall objects, metal objects, and water. Assume a crouched position with only the balls of your feet touching the ground, your arms wrapped around your knees, and your head lowered. Do not lie flat.
- Play may resume when no lightning has been detected for 20 minutes.
- Alternately, play can resume if 15 minutes has passed and two consecutive strikes are calculated to be 20+ miles away (100 seconds).
Heat
Playing in extremely heat and humid conditions can be dangerous. AFDC organizers will do their best to schedule tournaments in ways to help combat the effects of such conditions (shorter rounds, more byes and breaks, earlier games, etc). Players and captains should make it a priority to hydrate, seek shade, rest, and observe the condition of other players.
It becomes unsafe to play sports when the heat index enters Danger (orange) and Extreme Danger (red) levels. Play must be suspended under these conditions and games potentially postponed or cancelled.
Wet Fields
The AFDC has a responsibility to protect the fields we play on. This may mean requiring the use of turf cleats or cancelling games due to wet conditions. The determination of whether cleats can be used, turfs are required, or games must be postponed falls to league organizers in communication with field owners (or to captains when neither is present). The following guidelines should be followed:
- If there is standing water visible on the field, play should be postponed.
- If water appears when you step on the field, the field may be too wet to play. It should be assessed whether this is a localized wet spot or conditions are widespread throughout the field site.
- If any captains present have reservations about playing under the field conditions, play should be postponed.
- If games are cancelled due to wet conditions, do not use the field for other similar purposes (i.e. pickup).
