National teams to begin restricted training at GFA

[June 5, 2020 – Harmon, Guam] Following the government’s ease on restrictions for selected sectors of the community with the announcement of Pandemic Condition of Readiness 2, Guam Football Association will move incrementally over the next few months to return to normal operations for its members, beginning Monday with national team training.

The GFA management team had been devising strategies for this next step in operations, including new procedures for entry into the Harmon training center and protocols for restricted training. Detailed information was passed onto national team coaches Wednesday.

“Restrictions in daily life that were necessary to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus have affected all of us and at GFA, they will continue to change how we operate,” said Tino San Gil, GFA President. “As much as we want to pick up where we left off in March when we first closed, we must gradually ease into operations. Beginning Monday, we will be welcoming our national team training squads for restricted sessions with coaches. We will continue to monitor the progress and readiness of the staff and players at this stage. Once we are accustomed to the new protocol, we may open more GFA services in the coming months.”

Throughout the months of April and May, the GFA management team has been researching best practices for application through resources available from FIFA and AFC, as well as the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS). Additionally, the GFA management team has been tracking the progress in other countries in the region and studying their processes to resume limited operations before devising steps for GFA.

As part of the restricted training protocol, players will follow new entry procedures into the GFA National Training Center and will solely train in pre-marked personal grids on the pitch to adhere to social distancing mandates. Team dressing rooms, the GFA Fitness Center, and beverage dispensers will not be used, among other limitations, during this phase.

Teams selected to begin training are the Masakåda, Guam Women’s National Team, the U17 and U20 Women’s National Teams, and the U17 and U19 Manhoben teams. The Matao, Guam Men’s National Team, as well as the Elite Selection youth teams will resume training at a later date.

Leagues and other football activities are still suspended during this phase.