Lehigh Valley Baseball League
COVID-19 Return-to-Play Guidelines, Procedures and Recommendations
Drafted 7/01/2020
Version 3
Inside this manual are best practices for Baseball, as developed by Lehigh Valley Baseball League Safety Committee. These best practices are designed to help directors with ideas and plans for operating events post COVID-19. They do not replace or supersede any protocols or restrictions outlined by state or local authorities. All Participants must continue to follow local or state guidelines.
CONTENTS
POST COVID-19: Role of Safety Committee
POST COVID-19: Primary Contacts
POST COVID-19: Sport-Specific Language and Processes
POST COVID-19: Game Procedures
POST COVID-19: Baseball Return to Play
POST COVID-19: Protocol for Changes to This Document
POST COVID-19: Role of Safety Committee
A Safety Committee was assembled within the Lehigh Valley Baseball League. The Safety Committee features Managers, Officers and Players. The Safety Committee has developed return-to-play model for the Organization.
POST COVID-19: Primary Contacts
Please feel free to contact Ron Cahill, President, at ron@lehighvalleybaseball.com or Steve Smull, Vice President, at steve@lehighvalleybaseball.com. You can also visit http://www.lehighvalleybaseball.com/view/lehighvalleybaseball/welcome/submit-web-request-24-x7 or call (484) 293-1789.
POST COVID-19: Sport-Specific Language and Processes
Recommended best practices for return to play. Please note that all guidelines from local and state officials supersede LVBL recommendations and guidelines. We are required to gain approval from the local and state officials to return to play.
POST COVID-19: Game Procedures
- Follow all local and state guidelines for facilities and events.
- A league email will be sent to all teams, Managers, coaches, players/parents, and officials in the week leading up to a game. The e-mail will:
- Encourage all game attendees to practice social distancing
- Explain that any person who is experiencing symptoms of sickness will be prohibited from attending the event/venue of play
- Make clear that all posted and published local- and state-regulated guidelines shall be followed.
- Take proactive steps in creating social distancing environments, where possible.
- Inspect designated seating and viewing areas for fans.
- When using a tent, please restrict it to family members only.
- Minimize the use of fields at facilities to remain within the current mass-gathering limitations of the local jurisdiction, if necessary.
- Create one-way entry and exit gates where possible, to direct foot traffic.
- Minimize player contact by eliminating team/player handshakes and team/player high fives. Create plan to keep social distancing between teams in effect beyond the field of play. Suggest other means of game celebrations and team sportsmanship at the end of games (e.g., ask players to tip their caps/visors, or have teams bow to each other from across the field).
- Coaches, players, umpires, and spectators must adhere to the guidelines from CDC, state, and local authorities regarding potential state travel restrictions and stay-at- home orders.
- In dugouts, discontinue use of water coolers that are shared. Players should bring their own, personal cooler instead of using a team cooler. Players should plan on bringing an individual water bottle.
- Two disinfected baseballs will be used to start each game. Each team will provide 2 balls each and maintain disinfected baseballs throughout the game. The defensive team should be the only team to touch the baseball in the inning. Balls should be switched out each half inning.
- What if a player gets sick and tests positive- Player must immediately contact the coach and league. Infected player must self quarantine and is not permitted to play until written verification by a licensed medical professional. Any team in violation or this requirement will be suspended or expelled.
- If a player or coach test positive the entire league will be notified.
- The entire team and opponents within a two week period should follow the CDC guideline and get tested to be safe.
- Games can be rescheduled at any time a player or participant test positive.
POST COVID-19 Baseball Return to Play
Recommended Best Practices for the Field-of-Play:
- Follow all local and state guidelines for facilities and events.
- The managers meeting at home plate should be limited to one coach from each team plus the umpires. No players at plate meeting. Eliminate the meeting if possible.
- Where possible, consider options for limiting both the pitching and the scorecard exchanges, in order to reduce person-to-person contact.
- Teams should spread players out; expand the dugout area when room permits and only if player safety will not be compromised. Expansion of the team dugouts should not be done into foul ball areas. Attempt to limit bench personnel to essential team personnel.
- Players should carry antibacterial wipes and hand sanitizer for disinfecting shared playing equipment and cleaning hands between innings.
- Allow players to wear PPE items if they choose, as long as the items do not compromise the safety of any and all participants in the game.
- Teams must clean their dugout of all trash and other items after each game, and to wipe down (clean) hard surfaces such as benches, bat racks, etc.
- Upon arriving at a dugout for the first time, teams are to disinfect hard surface areas (benches, bat racks, etc.). Procedures #7 and #8 here will comply with the CDC recommendation of a two-step process for cleaning and disinfecting.
- The league will adjust the playing times and increase the amount of time between games, to minimize overlap and traffic flow where needed.
- Avoid using of sunflower seeds, Chewing Tobacco and Bubble Gum.
- Avoid spitting
- Baseballs must be sanitized between innings and ready for play the following inning allowing time for the sanitizer to disinfect the baseball based on manufactures recommendations.
- All players and especially pitchers should refrain from liking their fingers. Pitchers instead are encouraged to carry a wet rag with them in order to moisten there fingers for a better grip. Only water is allowed on the rag and umpires may check for non water like substances at any point.
- On July 1 Governor Wolf issued a mandate requiring masks in public. The specific language says individuals are required to wear a mask if they are: “outdoors and unable to consistently maintain a distance of six feet from individuals who are not members of their household. At this time there are no requirements to wear a mask during game play. When players come off the field they should properly distance (6' minimum) or wear a mask.
POST COVID-19 Protocol for Changes to This Document
Due to the uncertain aspects in return to play, this document is expected to change based on new procedures and feedback from our Managers. You should always follow your local and state guidelines. In the event of any conflict in language between any printed version of the POST COVID-19 Return to Play Guidelines, Procedures and Recommendations and the online version at http://pointstreaksites.com/view/lehighvalleybaseball/plan-of-action, online version shall prevail.
