PLAY BALL!

DUXBURY YOUTH BASEBALL-6/7/2020

Under the current COVID-19 pandemic phased reopening plan by Governor Baker and the State of Massachusetts, phase 2 allows for limited return of youth activities (practice), while phase 3 would open additional activities, including games. DYB recognizes that the phased approach is subject to the Town of Duxbury’s guidance in conjunction with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Below, we outline several guidelines that we will endeavor to institute league-wide for our modified 2020 DYB Season.

Phase 2 - Practices

• Follow all guidelines laid out by the MASSACHUSETTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS on June 3, 2020.Including, but not limited to:

• All persons (players, coaches, etc.) should remain at least six feet apart whenever possible.

• Require face coverings or masks for all Players, Coaches, and Spectators

  • Participants may remove face coverings while participating in practice and drills, provided they are able to maintain at least 6 feet of distance from all other persons present.

  • Face coverings should otherwise be worn by coaches, volunteers, other staff, officials, youth chaperones, and spectators in accordance with MA guidelines to prevent against the transmission of COVID-19 throughout the duration of the activity.

• Ensure frequent sanitizing by Players and Coaches

• Practices must separate participants into groups of no more than 10, including coaches and players. Larger playing areas and surfaces, such as athletic fields, may be used by more than one group of 10 at one time, provided that adequate social distance and group separation can be maintained. To ensure group separation, groups must be spaced at least 20 feet apart while sharing a playing surface or field.

• Scrimmages, organized games and tournaments are not allowed for contact sports in Phase II and activities must be limited to no-contact drills and training exercises.

• Access to equipment storage areas will be limited to coaches only.

• Organizers should ensure that athletes arrive dressed for practice and leave immediately after practice: no recreational play or loitering is allowed.

Phase 3 – In-Season Play

Subject to any changes or guidance issued by the MASSACHUSETTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS, Duxbury Youth Baseball will endeavor to institute the following guidelines for In-Season Play:

• Temporary fences erected where necessary so that players can remain socially distant, but safe, outside the dugout

• Players will remain behind the fence outside of the dugout except for the on-deck batter and batter “in the hole” (after the on-deck batter), these players will be socially distant

• No sharing of equipment  unless items are disinfected n accordance with State Guidelines (bats, helmets, gloves, etc.)

• No high fives or handshakes, pre, post, or during game (DYB will encourage alternate ways to celebrate using social distancing)

• No team water or food/beverage (players permitted to bring their own water, which will always remain inside their bag, or with a parent)

• No gum, sunflower seeds, or alternate items allowed in the dugout or on the field

• One umpire for games, situated six feet behind the mound rather than the traditional position behind the catcher

• Teams will disinfect game balls each inning they are in the field (or prior to and at the end of each practice) and be responsible to provide team only baseballs for games/practices

• Catchers equipment will be disinfected if in use and transferred to a new player within the game or at the conclusion of each game.Two sets of equipment will be provided per team to help expedite this

• Benches will be disinfected after each practice / game

• No portable restrooms at any fields

• Parents are strongly encouraged to provide their own transportation for their child, stay at the field during the game, and all players must leave the field in an orderly manner immediately following the conclusion of the game.

In addition to the CDC and State guidelines, DYB will also require and implement the following safety measure:

• All parents/guardians required to sign/acknowledge a waiver of liability during the online registration period.

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• ***PARENTAL "Hit-For-The-Cycle Questionnaire"***

• Single – I took my child’s temperature less than 2 hours before their practice or game and it was less than 100.4 degrees

• Double – My child has not experienced any symptoms of COVID-19 in the past 14 days (fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chills, muscle ache or pain, sore throat, or loss of taste or smell)

• Triple – My child has not tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days

• Home Run – My child has not knowingly been in contact with anyone that has tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days