Dear SVU Family,

        We hope this e-mail finds you well. This past Friday, NorCal and the State of California announced great news for the youth soccer community.  Below is Norcal’s President Benjamin Ziemer’s key points to the New youth sports guidance released by the State on February 19, 2021:

New Youth Sports Guidance - Feb 19, 2021

• New guidelines come into effect on Friday, Feb 26, 2021
• Local health departments and school districts may adopt stricter rules than the State of CA
• Face coverings to be worn by participants when NOT participating
• Face coverings to be worn at all times by those not participating (coaches, spectators, etc.)
• Social distancing on sidelines
• Strongly Encouraged: 
• Face Coverings during participation
• Social distancing as much as possible in competition and on the sidelines
• Teams must not compete in out-of-state games or events
• Spectators at games and practices limited to immediate household members
• Competition can be county-based, or between adjacent counties, if both counties are cleared to play
• Local health departments must be notified of any cross-county competitions, and reserve the right to deny the competition
• No tournaments or events with more than 2 teams
• Only 1 competition per team, per day
• Each participant must have a parent/guardian sign an ‘Informed Consent'
• Participants must sanitize hands before competition, during breaks, and after competition, if there is shared equipment
• Nobody with symptoms may participate in competitions
• Outdoor high contact sports (including soccer) can be played in purple or red tier if:
• County adjusted case rate is equal to or lower than 14 per 100k
• Each participant has a signed ‘Informed Consent'
• Weekly testing for football, rugby & water polo for players aged 13+

We are very excited that this moment has arrived. Let’s play some soccer!

Thanks, Benjamin Ziemer

Full link to the New Youth Sports Guidance :
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/outdoor-indoor-recreational-sports.aspx

 Despite the good news, we are still not cleared to play in Tulare County. The county is still in the Purple Tier and we need to be on the  Orange Tier to be cleared to play.  Nonetheless, the cases are dropping and South Valley United is optimistic this is the light at the end of this year-long-tunnel.

As a club, we are enthusiastic about providing a safe and fun environment for our RECreational players in the community.  South Valley United is anticipating Tulare County’s tier to shift to orange in the near future and granting us the green light to provide a REC league this year.

South Valley United is planning on hosting a 8-game REC league on May-June 2021 at Neighborhood Church in Visalia, CA.
Below is a Pre-Registration link  for you to please fill out if you are interested in participating in the May-June Rec league.  The Pre-Registration information you will input is very important for us as a club since it will provide a clearer picture of the logistics needed to provide a great experience. There will be no charge for the pre-registration and we greatly appreciate your interest and cooperation.

https://southvalleyunited.sportngin.com/register/form/513767119



Once we have the green light from the county; we will send the actual registration link for the Spring Rec League 2021.  

Thank you for your continuous support and don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Renato Bustamante
SVU DOC

Renato Bustamante
South Valley United
Director of Coaching

SOUTH VALLEY UNITED PARTNERS WITH ROBYN ICENHOWER AND ASSOCIATES More than just your Realtor.

VISALIA -South Valley United Soccer Club (SVU) is excited to announce the club has a new partnership with local real estate company, Robyn Icenhower and Associates. SVU will proudly sport the Robyn Icenhower and Associates logo on the back of their jerseys through May 2021, joining Valley Children as equipment partners of the youth organization. In addition, they are the presenting partner of the SVU Coaches game, where several hundred players and families attended a fun and often humorous afternoon of soccer, each participating coach took home a customized SVU and Robyn Icenhower and Associates co-branded souvenir shirt. Robyn Icenhower & Associates are the #1 highest producing real estate team in Kings and Tulare counties. As a licensed California Real Estate Broker, Robyn’s growing team of professionals not only consists of the most agents in the top 3% of sales production in the county, but also leads the luxury market with the most homes sold. Their mission is to create clients for life. Whether it be through their extensive marketing efforts or their dedicated customer service experts, they make sure that their clients are their number one priority in everything they do. Robyn Icenhower and Associates are more than just your Realtor, they are a connector and a resource for our community. “We believe in making a difference in our community,” comments Robyn. Whether it be with the members of her team, clients, other real estate agents, youth soccer players or members of the local community in general, Robyn Icenhower is committed to giving back to help others grow and reach their goals. “We are proud to partner with Robyn Icenhower and Associates as our missions align so closely in our community. It’s a partnership that embodies what both companies represent, focusing on the South Valley region, putting our community first, emphasis on serving those we work for and striving to help those we can connect with”, stated SVU President Jeremy Schultz. “Robyn Icenhower and her team truly exemplify what it means to believe in our community, it is a great opportunity for us to work together and make a difference in the lives of our youth. These relationships are so valuable to assist our organization in elevating the opportunities within the club by providing us the resources for strategic and long-term growth.” “I’m excited to partner with South Valley United as several members of Robyn Icenhower & Associates have children that participate on South Valley United teams, we are honored to be able to partner with the club and help to give back to the children of our local community,” stated Robyn Icenhower

About South Valley United: South Valley United (SVU) is one of the original competitive youth soccer organizations in the Central California region, based in Visalia, CA. SVU, established in 2002 is a youth soccer club that believes in the overall development of local athletes utilizing sport as a platform to build leaders of tomorrow. SVU’s mission is to provide a safe, supportive soccer community intent on developing elite youth soccer players. SVU strives to instill the fundamental traits of leadership through teamwork, success through hard work and inclusiveness through building camaraderie in community and club. For more information, visit www.southvalleyunited.com.