Athletic Facility, Equipment and Safety Committee

Policy

December 2007

Outdoor Sports Using Indoor Athletic Facilities

Guidelines have been established for outdoor sports that use Fairfax County Public School’s indoor facilities outside of the instructional day. These are activities that normally are played outdoors, but are permitted indoors during inclement weather or for off-season training.

A committee shall approve equipment for indoor use. This committee shall meet at least annually and shall be comprised of representatives from the Fairfax County Department of Community and Recreation Services, FCPS Community Use Office, FCPS Health and Physical Education Department, FCPS Student Activities and Athletic Programs Office, and FCPS Safety and Security Office.

Outdoor sports groups may use FCPS gyms to conduct conditioning programs only.

The following activities are prohibited for all sports:

• Kicking, throwing, striking or otherwise using sports balls, pucks, equipment, etc., in such a manner as to damage light fixtures, scoreboards, backboards, ceiling tiles, floors, windows, walls and other property
• Scrimmages, games, or league play; and
• Kicking, throwing or propelling on goals (any structure, area set off by traffic cones, or other temporary effort to define a goal opening).
  

Baseball/Softball/Cricket

High/Secondary/Middle/Elementary Schools

• Pitching and catching: Regulation baseball and softballs are permitted as long as proper padding/gymnastic crash pads are used. No other use of regulation balls is allowed.
• Infield Practice: Ball use is limited to Incrediballs® and other soft balls designed for indoor use..Bat use is permitted only with adult supervision
  
• Batting Cage – Batting practice is only allowed inside a completely enclosed batting cage.
  

Field Hockey

High/Secondary/Middle Schools

• Use is limited to regulation indoor field hockey balls.
• Field hockey sticks may be used only if covered with protective padding (e.g. socks, stick covers).

Elementary Schools – All use prohibited

Football

High/Secondary/Middle Schools

• Kicking the football is permitted only into a kicking net.
• Passing and non-contact practice is limited to the area within the lined perimeter of the basketball court(s).
  

Elementary Schools – All use prohibited.

Golf

High/Secondary/Middle Schools

• Restricted to use of golf-ball-size Wiffle®-type limited flight balls.
• Balls may only be hit from artificial turf or carpet mats.

Elementary Schools – All use prohibited

Inline Hockey

High/Secondary/Middle/Elementary Schools – All use prohibited

Lacrosse

High/Secondary/Middle Schools

• Passing and non-contact practice is limited to the area within the lined. perimeter of the basketball court(s).
• Restricted to use of tennis balls.

Elementary Schools – All use prohibited.

Running

High/Secondary/Middle Schools

• No running in hallways or stairways
• No indoor bleacher running.
• Outdoor bleacher running is permitted in aisle ways only.
  

Shot Put

High/Secondary Schools

• Restricted to use of indoor shot put only.
• Throws must be made from one protected surface to another (e.g. mats, sheets of plywood).
• Prohibited in vicinity of basketball goals or bleachers.

Middle/Elementary Schools – All use prohibited.

Soccer

High/Secondary/Middle/Elementary Schools

• Restricted to use of an indoor or soft (felt-covered, foam, etc) soccer ball.
• Passing and non-contact practice is limited to the area within the lined. perimeter of the basketball court(s).
  

Tennis

High/Secondary/MiddleSchools

• Hitting of balls is restricted to walls without windows.

Elementary Schools – All use prohibited.

Revised 12/07