Yesterday the Governor’s office released guidance on “Professional Sports & Other Sporting Activities Phase 2 and 3 Covid-19 Requirements.”
The pertinent part of this guideline for us is this: Outdoor Youth Team Sports and Outdoor Adult Recreational Team Sports, Excluding School-Connected or Administered Team Sports and Junior Hockey RESTART COVID-19 REQUIREMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
• In Phase 2, team practice can resume if a) players are limited to groups of five in separate parts of the field, separated by a buffer zone and b) practice can follow social distancing of a minimum of five feet between players with no contact. Each league, organization, or club must publish and follow a “return to play” safety plan. Parents and household members must not congregate on the sidelines during practice.
• In Phase 3, teams can resume playing games. Total gathering at any one game cannot exceed 50 individuals. For sporting complexes with multiple fields or other playing surfaces, the 50-individual limit is counted on a per-field, not a per-complex basis.
• Nothing in these requirements should be read to obligate a facility owner to reopen a facility.
In addition Thurston County Department of Health indicated our Capitol LL guidelines with a suggested introduction would satisfy the “return to play” safety plan required by the Governor’s guideline. We modified our “CoVid 19 guidelines” on the Capitol LL website to include the DOH suggested revision.
Our safety plan is designed to address full team practices and games in Phase 3 & 4.
We are anticipating Thurston County will enter Phase 3 about June 17 or 18—however, the County has to apply for and be approved by the State before that can happen.
Therefore, we plan to start team practices on Saturday June 20.
We should have a team practice schedule issued next week and will share that on the website.
We know small groups/families use our fields occasionally to work on skills.
We ask that anyone wanting to use our fields be respectful of the small group requirement of Phase 2 avoiding large groups, full team scrimmages and/or practice games. Remember the use of the Big Field 6 is restricted to our Jr teams since it is set up for 90 foot base paths.
We have come so far—let’s not jeopardize our 2020 season.