Weather Related Field Closure (When & How to Use the Field Closure Button)
If your Park District or Fields Director contacts you and confirms that a field is unplayable due to weather, here's what should you do:
1) Call your Assignor - They need to know right away so referees can be notified.
2) Call the Opposing Team - Give them as much advance notice as possible.
3) Call your Club Manager - Ask them to use the Field Closure button on the Club Page.
If the game is already in progress and the referee ends the game due to lightning before halftime, this also counts as a Field Closure. In that case:
- You do not need to call your assignor or the other team.
- You MUST call your Club Manager to use the Field Closure button.
How the Field Closure Button Works
When logged in, the Club Manager must:
- Go to the Club Page and click the Field Closure button.
- Games from two days before and two days after the current date will appear in the list.
- Check the box next to any affected game(s).
- Click the Submit Field Closure Game button.
Submitting a Field Closure will:
- Update the team's page.
- Trigger a message showing the name and phone number of your assignor (they still need to be called directly).
- Activate a green Reschedule button on the Team Page next to the Field Closure game.
Important Notes
- The Reschedule button is only available for 14 days after the Field Closure game. If it's not used within that window, the game will not be played.
- Both teams are responsible for working together to find a new date and time - it is not just on the home team to initiate.
- The 5-day rule still applies to Field Closures: the assignor needs at least 5 days' notice to assign a referee for a new game.
Remember be prompt, be communicative, and make sure your Club Manager gets the Field Closure logged quickly so the reschedule process can begin.