West Florida Flames

Return to Play Protocols

CDC Guidelines for return to play based on county requirements!!

United for Tampa Bay

Dear West Florida flames family, We hope this finds you safe and healthy. I am sure you have heard the buzz and the exciting news that Governor DeSantis announced yesterday about the opening of youth sports and their activities. We are ecstatic to learn of soccer’s impending return. This excitement is however curtailed as nothing is more important than the safety and well-being of our players, families, coaches, and staff. Some clubs are choosing to have tryouts immediately and as close to May 25th which is the date that Florida Youth Soccer Association has informed us that we are allowed to start our tryouts. You must ask yourself, if an organization is willing to rush back, do they have my child’s best interest at heart? West Florida flames along with many responsible clubs are choosing to wait a few weeks to allow for proper planning and CDC guidance! Our priority is to get the players back on the fields with their coaches and teammates safely and responsibly. Your child's welfare, safety and health are first and foremost our priority and our concern. Currently, our local governments have not opened the facilities in which we utilize to provide soccer services. More information will be provided over the next few days to inform you of how West Florida Flames will resume activities prior to tryouts to allow players to get back on the fields to train and prepare. Resuming play will denote compliance with CDC and government guidelines. This may look drastically different than what our normal used to be. The importance in education and understanding policies and procedures that are being put into place so that standards of excellence in returning to play are a safe zone for your child, your families and our community are our most important consideration. Although there have been many challenges and this time has been difficult, the rush to return is simply not in the best interest of the players' overall health and well-being. The time away from the fields and teammates has been arduous but our resolve to endure is evident. It is evident in the many players who have participated in virtual soccer training that has been provided and in the tremendous amount of support our soccer families and the community has demonstrated. We are so excited, knowing, that we will be together again on the fields soon. Until then, we appreciate your patience. We appreciate that you understand how important your child is to us and being blessed to watch them develop over a lifetime is the ultimate reward. We stand committed to our soccer family through these challenging and uncertain times. We are so close to return to play. Until we can see each other on the field, we hope you and your family both immediate and extended stay safe and be healthy. Stay safe and healthy. All my best, Gary Rach Executive Director West Florida Flames

Major League Soccer Youth Development Platform Announcement Video

It's a new era for soccer development in North America. A total of 65 elite academy clubs which formerly participated in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy will join MLS's existing club academies as part of a new elite player development platform that is set to transform youth player development in the United States and Canada. The 95 clubs become founding members of the new platform which will include more than 8,000 players throughout the U.S. and Canada and will consist of elite year-round competition, as well as player identification initiatives, coaching education opportunities, and additional programming to create the premier player development environment.