IMPORTANT PLEASE READ AND COMPLETE THE SURVEY INCLUDED IN THE LINK AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU COMPLETE THE SURVEY REGARDING YOUR PLAYER(S) SO WE CAN PLAN FOR OUR SEASON.  THIS SURVEY MUST BE COMPLETED BY MAY 22ND AND PLEASE COMPLETE ONE PER PLAYER.

The league is developing our strategy for when the State of Washington moves to Phase 3 of the COVID-19 Social-Distancing measures and the league resumes its modified baseball season. Our current planning principles are detailed below, pending guidance from Washington State health public officials in moving to Phase 3, which will permit outdoor groups and sports activities up to 50 people.

We are planning for games to start between June 16th - July 6th with the season ending on Sunday August 9th.This will end up being an 8-10 game season or so. There will be no practices.

It is the Parents and Coaches responsibility to make sure that players, parents, coaches and umpires not feeling well do not attend NSLL Events, this is a risk mitigation strategy as a community. Symptoms include fever, cough, chest tightness, shortness of breath, runny nose, sore throat, muscle aches, fatigue, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. Any community member with any of these symptoms should stay home and avoid any league activity. Anyone not feeling well are strongly encouraged to seek medical advice to consider whether they should be tested for COVID-19.

Persons considered at a “higher risk” should not attend league events. Persons that are at higher risk include older community members (over the age of 65 years), those living in nursing homes or long-term care facilities, or those with medical conditions including respiratory disease (such as asthma or COPD), heart conditions (such as previous heart attack or heart failure), diabetes, chronic kidney or liver disease immunocompromised, or severe obesity (BMI > 40).

NSLL supports the practice of maximizing social distancing (maintain a physical distance at least 6 feet). We recognize that the sport of baseball is well-suited for spacing of players, yet there are constant opportunities for close contact including between catcher and batter during plate appearances and during plays at the bases. Multiple players will be handling the baseball throughout the game, particularly pitchers and catchers. Strategies to mitigate close contact include the following:

·       Players will not be congregating in the dugout. We will be physically spacing players out when not on the field.

·       Events are limited to 50 participants at the game. This restricts one family member per player to attend the individual games.

·       Family members (spectators) will be distanced away from players in designated areas which are like to be further from the infield play (ie along the outfield foul lines and the outfield). The exceptions will be the designated scorekeeper and pitch counters or a single person behind the backstop only when their player is at bat.

·       Coaches will structure warm-up drills to minimize close contact of players.

·       Game situations may be modified to expedite play.

Other personal protective measures the league plans to implement to mitigate against potential transmission:

·       Adult participants, including coaches and umpires, will be asked to wear facemasks during league events.

·       Players are required to only use their own equipment, including helmet, bats, and gloves. There will be no sharing of equipment. For players that do not have their own equipment, the league will sign out equipment to the player for the duration of the season.

·       Additional catcher’s equipment will be supplied to AAA baseball and above. Catchers will not share equipment during a game, and coaches will sanitize the equipment between games if transferring the equipment to another player for the next game.

·       We intend that hand sanitizer will be used regularly throughout the game to support hand hygiene while sharing handling of the baseball. Please help support the league and your coaches with obtaining these safety materials in short supply including sanitation wipes and hand sanitizer.

·       Outside of baseball plays, players will avoid physical contact (including no high fives or handshakes). At the end of games, players will line up on respective baselines and cheer, shout, wave, or tip hats to the opposing team and umpires.

·       Extra gloves will be stocked in first aid kits for coaches to use in the event they have to render first aid to a player.

·       Extra umpire equipment will be made available to the higher levels of play.

·       League volunteers will endeavor to consistently clean surfaces that may be the source of contamination including dugouts, benches, and bleachers.

·       Players will be encouraged to maintain good hygiene practices including:

o   Hand sanitizing frequently (between innings)

o   Avoiding touching their face

o   Avoid congregating between innings at gates

Modifications of playing norms:

·       Batters will be allowed to step out of the batter’s box between pitches to maintain more distance between batter and catcher.

·       Umpires will remain a safe distance from players. This may include calling balls and strikes from well behind the catcher or behind the pitcher.

·       We expect transitions will be longer between innings to avoid chokepoints.

·       Modifications to changing catchers during games to avoid sharing equipment.

If parents, coaches, or players have any concerns regarding their personal health and safety, they should alert the league of concerns and avoid league events.

The guidelines and recommendations listed above, along with any additional guidelines from the state, will be followed until they have been lifted by CDC or State Government.

We are all ready to be back on our fields and see the players with smiles back on their faces. However, this is something none of us have experienced and we all need to do our part in assuring the safety of our players, coaches, parents, and volunteers once we resume playing.

PLEASE COMPLETE THE SURVEY IN THE LINK BELOW BY MAY 22ND.  IT IS CRUCIAL THAT IT COMPLETED.  PLEASE COMPLETE ONE SURVEY PER PLAYER IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD.  THIS SURVEY MUST BE COMPLETED BY MAY 22ND.

https://bit.ly/NSLLSurvey  

Again we want to say THANK YOU to everyone who has stuck with us during this unique season.  We are looking forward to getting everyone back out there as soon and as safely as possible.

Thank you,

The 2020 Northshore Little League Board

• Recommendation to remain at home or in a comparable setting
• Practice social distancing
• Active monitoring as determined by local priorities
• Recommendation to postpone long-distance travel on commercial conveyances

• Self-isolation
• Public health assessment to determine the need for medical evaluation; if medical evaluation warranted, diagnostic testing should be guided by CDC’sPUI definition
• If medical evaluation is needed, it should ideally occur with pre-notification to the receiving HCF and EMS, if EMS transport indicated, and with all recommendedinfection control precautions in place.
• Controlled travel: Air travel only via air medical transport. Local travel is only allowed by medical transport (e.g., ambulance) or private vehicle while symptomatic person is wearing a face mask.

• No restriction of movement
• Self-observation

• Self-isolation, social distancing
• Person should seek health advice to determine if medical evaluation is needed.
• If sought, medical evaluation and care should be guided by clinical presentation; diagnostic testing for COVID-19 should be guided by CDC’sPUI definition.
• Travel on commercial conveyances should be postponed until no longer symptomatic.