Despite the obstacles we have incurred this season, we have made big strides in getting kids back on the fields for baseball. But with the recent spikes in CoVid 19 cases we need to become more vigilant, in order to keep playing.
As the City of Olympia recently cautioned for use of their fields--"Field user groups are under a public microscope to follow guidelines. Failure to properly distance, wear masks when required, stay under 50 per field (1 parent, no siblings per player advised) etc. can lead to fields/leagues getting shut down if community observations/pictures/videos lead to a rush of reporting."
Therefore we are making a few revisions of our Capitol Little League CoVid19 policy--
Short version--
1. Coaches need to remind players to spread out on the bleachers to increase social distance OR wear a face covering when NOT in the field--dugouts/bleachers.
2. As of Tuesday, July 21-- we are limiting spectators to immediate family members only (no grandparents, aunts, uncles or friends). NO spectators in areas between 1st & 3rd base behind home plate/backstop.
3. ONLY players, coaches, team support staff and umpires can be in area between 1st and 3rd base behind home plate/backstops. Team support staff only seated in the area not entire family.
4. Spectators must bring and sit in THEIR OWN seating in groups of related parties ONLY and EACH of those groups be separated by at least 10 ft. Face coverings are required by state mandate when you can't social distance.
5. Parents DO NOT to visit your child on the bench or dugout-during a game-that puts other players at risk. IF player is injured or otherwise needs attention, coach will summon parent.
OTHER INFORMATION:
Playground is now fenced and closed--please don't let your children use the playground. Playground is closed due to Covid19 and not being able to maintain surface cleaning of the equipment.
AT ELMA FIELDS--face coverings are required in dugouts for coaches/players and for all spectators who are not social distanced. NO grandstand seating.
AT CENTRALIA FIELDS- face coverings are required IF players/coaches are not social distanced and for all spectators who are not social distanced. NO Grandstand seating.
Many folks are doing a good job--let's ALL work to keep this season going until August 29 as planned!
LONGER EXPLANATION:
AT CAPITOL LITTLE LEAGUE FIELDS:
Coaches and players--must be using the bleachers as additional dugout space when there will be more than 2 or 3 players in the dugout AND players need to separate on the bleachers not sit close to each other. IF this can't be done, players and coaches will need to wear face coverings in the dugout/bleachers. Face coverings are NOT required when actively playing or practicing.
Coaches should be remembering to disinfect bleachers and dugouts, empty garbage and have only adults prepare and repair fields after games and practices. The CoVid buckets are in the field equipment sheds.
Parents--please don't "visit" your child while they are in the bleachers-it is a dugout-dugout visits by parents are prohibited by Little League rules Also you are coming in close contact with other players which puts them at risk. IF a player is injured or has a issue needing parent help--the coach or umpire will summon the parent.
Scorekeepers, pitch count and scoreboard operators--these need to be ONE person per task per team each NOT the entire family of each person performing the task. These persons need to sit in their OWN seating (not player bleachers) away from the players.
Spectators--NO SPECTATORS SEATED BETWEEN 1ST & 3RD BASE BEHIND HOME PLATE/BACKSTOP-and those in other areas must spread out--there are too many people sitting/standing too close together without face coverings.
Going forward--effective-Tuesday July 21, we need to limit attendance to parent/guardians and siblings ONLY for ALL divisions. IF THIS DOESN'T REDUCE GATHERING SIZES WE MAY FURTHER LIMIT SPECTATORS.
To clarify--six (6) people sitting/standing together is a group. Two (2) or more groups of six (6) people less than 10 feet apart is a gathering. MOVE AWAY FROM OTHER GROUPS AND WEAR FACE COVERINGS.
WE are limited to gatherings of fifty (50) persons per field which includes the players, coaches, umpires, scorekeepers.
Spectators must bring their own seating and sit outside the fence lines, away from the player bleachers.
There is a lot of space around the outfields on fields 1, 2, 3 & 4 and down the baselines on Fields 5 & 6.
Currently, we have two fields that are especially problematic--due to the field space constraints:
Field 1 is a problem due to player bleachers being very close to the porta potties on first base side and to equipment shed on the 3rd base side. However, there is large amount of outfield space on this field and parents will need to use that for seating. WE have the option of moving ALL future T-ball games to Field 5 which is on the south end of the complex. The dugouts there have been opened to allow quick access to the bleachers which are used ONLY for players.
Field 2 has a similar issue on the first base side with not a lot of space due to the batting cage. Parents will need to space out or sit in the outfield area on this field as well.
IF there are no games on Field 6--spectators can sit behind the fence on that side of Field 2.
We will give it a week to see if we get better compliance on spectator distancing on Field 1 & Field 2 before making a final decision on whether to move these games to other Fields.
Fields 3, 4 & 6
Folks are sitting cars in the outfield watching from behind the fences or on Field 6 along the road.
Advantage on hot days you can run the AC!