Virginia summers can be brutal, with heat and humidity, and with severe weather arising quickly. The Fort Hunt Rugby coaching staff has this in mind at all times, and will constantly adjust our training and matches to the weather we face. Safety is our #1 priority.
Weather Calls for Games. We will both train and play in the heat, cold or rain. Different teams we will play all have different standards and field restrictions, so we all have to be flexible. Our primary notification for weather calls will be through email, and we will post notices to this website and the club Facebook page.
For practices, we will make a call no later than 5:00pm for days when weather and/or field closures are a factor. We will notify everyone with a mass email to the club, and will post the same info to the top of the
Fort Hunt Rugby splash page.
You can always check the Fairfax County Parks Authority field status, by calling 703-324-5264 or by clicking
here.
Do not hesitate to call Head Coach John Dacey for an update (see below).
Heat/Code Days. We may practice on code yellow, orange and red days; it is the responsibility of parents/guardians to make decisions regarding an individual player’s susceptibility to heat injuries (and inform all coaches of same).
If practicing or playing in summer heat, coaches will make adjustments to all drills and play, will increase break times, increase water intake, and scale back or cancel activities if needed.
Rain. We practice in the rain, just as we will play matches in the rain. We are playing rugby, after all. We are dependent, however, on our Fairfax County Parks Authority fields and field closures, so we may be rained out due to their determinations, with which we will abide.
Click
here to check on Fairfax County Parks Authority field closures; our summer field is Collingwood Park #4.
Thunder/Lightning. All training and play stops immediately if thunder or lightning is detected. This is non-negotiable. All club members--players and parents alike--will follow coaches’ directions and take appropriate shelter under grounded structures or in automobiles, and not on the field/under trees. The 20-minute clock begins, and resets for each instance of lightning and/or thunder. If 20 minutes elapses without thunder or lightning, coaches may make the decision to resume training or play.
Weather Notification: The coach will send out an email as soon as a weather cancellation has been made. This will post to the splash page or this website, and will be on the club Facebook page.
Contact: When in doubt, call Coach John Dacey at H: 703-780-5859 or C: 301-503-3377 for the latest.
