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Harleysville Baseball

News Detail

12

Jun, 2020

COVID 19 Return to Play Modifications

June, 2020

Dear Families,

We thank you for staying committed to HBB as we now have the ability to resume league activities. We have used the phrase “Safe, Organized, and Fun” over these years to describe our programs, and we look forward to that same motto this season as we implement the following guidelines for the well-being of both players and adults.  Our coaches have already been made aware of these and we share these with our families now.  Parents, please reinforce and educate your children about the upcoming guidelines we will use at the fields, including common sense hygiene practices of handwashing and avoiding touching mouth/eyes.

***For Phase YELLOW, due to gathering limits of 25, ONLY ONE (1) PARENT/GUARDIAN IS ALLOWED TO ATTEND THEIR CHILD’S ACTIVITY PER FIELD.  They must accompany their child to the field and affirm #1 below prior to their child engaging in any team activity.  Parent will then distance themselves away from the team.  Though not recommended, if you must carpool, we’ve been asked by health officials that all passengers are masked while driving [and carpool guardian will affirm #1 below at arrival]. 

1. Parents will check their child’s temperature for fever [>99.5] and relevant symptoms just prior to leaving home.  If your child is showing signs of an illness, refrain from attending the HBB event.  This applies to parents and coaches as well.  Coach will mutually affirm with parent at arrival that the player may participate [#1 is not related to allergy-type issues]

2. Coaches will wear face coverings when in near proximity to players, parents have discretion over their child wearing one.

3. Enclosed dugouts will be limited to 2 coaches and 2 batters [on deck and “in-the-hole”].  The remaining batters will utilize both sets of bleachers, distanced, with remaining coaches distancing those areas. Those fields without two sets of bleachers we will used the outside fence along their respected baseline (Bambino and Scout Cabin Fields)

4.  Players will not share their own equipment/water bottles…please assist us by labeling your child’s gear.  Our instructional divisions will not utilize the catcher’s position this season.  Please contact your child’s coach if you are in need of a seasonal loaner helmet or bat or catchers equipment.

5.  Measures will be implemented for disinfecting balls/game equipment/benches throughout the activities as well as routines for sanitizing hands during activities.

6. A “forearm knob” will be installed for the bathhouse doors and reminder signs for washing w/soap will be posted in bathrooms. 

7. Spitting/gum/sunflower seeds are prohibited this season

8.  Participant attendance will be kept on file should a need arise later for contact communication [all privacy laws will apply].

9. We will refrain from usual on-field celebrations such as high fives/fist bumps/handshakes/team huddles … but we will create alternatives with 6ft distancing in mind to accomplish the similar intention. 

10. (Phase Green) To promote social distancing, bleachers will only be used for the players. Each player’s “family” is entitled a “10ft fence panel” or similar painted lines of distance to set up your chairs/umbrella/canopy and we will encircle the outfield/foul line fences to cheer loudly for our players during games…Similarly, due to the need to manage capacity of gatherings and social distancing during both phases, families are asked to leave premises upon conclusion of the event so we have an adequate buffer time to transition for the next event.

***Please note, we all share a role in the implementation of these new measures… and, as we are a 100% parent volunteer organization, consider helping out with the field logistics of some of these so that our coaches can coach and players can play [especially #5…“designated-wiper” gets you a seat closer to homeplate.]  If you notice something egregiously needs our league’s attention, calmly reach out to the Harleysville Board of Directors on our website

In order for your child to resume participation, an addendum HBB-RETURN-TO-PLAY INFORMED CONSENT WAIVER must be registered. Please visit this link to register each participant. Be sure to continue all the way thru completing the order and you will receive an email confirmation.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

 

 

Typical REC Practice Activities and adaptations while in YELLOW PHASE

NORMAL PRACTICE

NEW NORMAL YELLOW PHASE

Solicit a “team mom” to help with stuff like uniform distribution, etc…

Solicit someone to be the designated balls bucket cleaner at practices

Typical arrival – kids get dropped off, kids start throwing even before coach may arrive, engage in shenanigans…

[1] Parent needs to accompany player to field and wait for coach…affirm they are healthy to participate and sanitized hands…coach “agrees”…coach has opening instructions for player[s]…which might be sanitize then throw with partner. Max 1 parent per player attends…they distance to outside fence along foul line/outfield [not bleachers]

Throwing warmup

same, but when all done toss those balls into a bucket for wiping…intro a new bucket of balls for next activity

dynamic warmups/ Jog as a team

6ft distanced…just be spread out…or jog individually

Dump equipment in dugout, unlabeled gear

Hang [6ft spread] on inner fence near dugout but not inside the enclosed dugout – parents label all gear/bottles – no “team water cooler” this summer [no seeds this summer/no gum]

Team huddle/take a knee/group talk in dugout or bleachers

Do it on the field…intro the concept of a team arc or dual arc/large circle -- player stretches arm and glove…next kid does the same toward you, that’s 6ft…repeat…simple

High Fives/fist bumps/ 1-2-3 go team cheer

NOPE. Create a visual/verbal team gesture to replace it

Run bases warmup

maintain distance waiting in line…or better to make a “stations” activity as a smaller group for easier distancing

fielding drills/cross fire/OF drills

All good just remind kids “on deck” need to distance [or do in smaller group stations]…when fielding drills are done, intro new bucket

Batting cage….kids pack together and wait their turn, kids shoot hoops into bucket when picking up balls

Distance the waiting line [have small groups] kids foot roll the balls back to coach in bucket - when all bp is over, wipe balls

Water break

Water break plus sanitizer break

Steals/”live” inter-team small scrimmages

No catcher to base throw with a runner yet…can simulate all aspects but want to refrain from the “collision” aspect. Use an extra 1st base bag for practicing pitcher pickoffs/runner leads @50-70

During live type batting scrimmages, limit to 2 players in dugout…remaining are either as fielders or waiting on adjacent bleachers distanced

Player gets injured

Have mask on when in near proximity [simply remember the coach will have the mask when you are in near proximity to a player] … but not for things like you being the bullpen catcher

Team wrap up

Arc, team gesture cheer

Exit. Leave behind belongings and gatorade bottles; meander and socialize; forget to lock field boxes

People need to actually leave with their belongings [weekends, strict buffer time for turnover] wipe down benches before going, last bucket of balls wiped, return cleaning supplies and buckets to field boxes and lock

 

 

FIELD COMPLEX

 

Bathrooms – run out of soap/supplies

Bathrooms modified elbow door handles…washing signs to be posted [2 people per max]

 

 

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Harleysville Baseball

P.O. Box 246 
Harleysville, Pennsylvania 19438

Email Us: [email protected]
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