Hydration Breaks and Extreme Heat Situations for SCB Games

Soccer Nova Scotia has a document outlining this topic.  It can be found here.  SCB would like to be a little more specific about this document so there is less confusion.

For drinks and cooling breaks:

If the humidex is between 25C and 29C, do a one (1) minute drink break each half.

If the humidex is 30C or greater - do a two (2) to three (3) minute cooling break each half.

35C or greater - SCB will normally cancel any games where it is forecasted or believes that the humidex will be 35C or greater at kick-off time. Note this could mean that a game starting at 6:30pm could be canceled but a game at 8pm isn't.  

Teams with lack of substitutions - there will be times when a team or both teams playing in a game will not have any substitutes or only 1 or two substitutes.  SCB would like you to err on the side of safety in these cases and allow for a drink break for the teams, even if the humidex is below 25C, or a little longer than a minute if humdex is greater than 25C.  We will leave this decision up to the discretion of the referee based on the number of substitutes and what the temperature/humidex is at.

The procedure for implementing a drink or cooling break:

• if possible, let them know at the beginning of the game that you will be giving them a break.  If you forget or during the first half, see that a team or both teams need one, feel free to err on the side of safety and give them one.
• Each break will last up to three (3) minutes in length (depending on the type of break)  and is to be held at approximately the halfway point of each period
• The ball must be out of play for the break to commence.
• The Referee will signal for the start of the break and inform both teams and all match officials 
• The clock will continue to run, and all time allotted for the break will be added to stoppage time. Be mindful if there is a game scheduled on your field after your game, if there is, you may not be able to add all the time to stoppage time.
• Both teams will go to their respective team bench areas.  Try and keep the players on the field of play but since SCB games have unlimited substitutions anyway, it isn't a big deal if they sit on their bench.  Team Officials cannot leave their respective technical areas and should not be entering the field of play without your permission.