Safe Play: Back to the Diamond and Softball COVID-19 Safety Guidelines

Mandatory Recommended Best Practices

ARRIVING AND • All participants must maintain six feet distance from • Participants should enter and leave the field in a any other person. timely fashion and not congregate. LEAVING THE • Practice and game start times must be staggered, so a • Team meetings should occur virtually or over VENUE team has left the field before the next team arrives. the phone, rather than a team huddle. • Whenever possible, everyone should enter and exit • Hand washing or hand sanitizing, when soap and through designated areas that are different from each water is not available, is strongly recommended other. when arriving to and leaving the venue. • Prohibit gathering and congregating on and around • Ridesharing should be kept at a minimum. fields.

• All athletes must maintain six feet distance, whenever • Each team is responsible for bringing hand possible, from any other person. sanitizing products to practices. PRACTICES • No more than one team per field for a practice. • Each team should sanitize the bench JUNE 1 • Players and coaches must be separated into groups of before, during, and after each practice. no more than 10 for a practice. • Hand sanitizing is strongly recommended during • Practice groups must maintain distance from each practices. other and not mix during the entire duration. • When there is a play at a base, the runner and • Practice balls must be sanitized before, during, and fielder should resume physical distance after each practice. immediately upon completion of the play.

• All athletes must maintain six feet distance, whenever • Each team is responsible for bringing hand GAMES possible, from any other person. sanitizing products to games. • team must not take the field until the entire • Each team should sanitize the dugout bench TBD fielding team is off the field. before, during, and after each game. • Each team must provide their own balls for when they • Hand sanitizing is strongly recommended during are the fielding team, and they must be sanitized each practices and games. . • When there is contact of any kind in the field of • During a game, participants must maintain six feet of play, players should resume physical distance separation in the dugout. Participants not able to be in immediately upon completion of the play. the dugout will be lined up down their respective foul • If your concession stand is open, the people in lines or behind the backstop with six feet of separation. line must maintain six feet of spacing.

• Must maintain six feet distance from any other • Each team is responsible for bringing hand COACHES person. sanitizing products to practices and games and • Repeatedly remind players not to touch their faces. use of sanitizer between is • Up to four coaches, including one COVID-19 safety recommended. manager, permitted for a practice or game. • Coaches should ensure the players are adhering • Must conduct a daily symptom assessment and stay to social distancing in dugouts and other seating home if experiencing symptoms. areas and wearing face coverings while not • No spitting, chewing gum or eating sunflower seeds. actively participating on the field of play. • No sharing of food or drinks. • No touch rule – coaches must refrain from high fives, handshake line, and any other physical contact with fellow coaches, opposing coaches, players, umpires, and spectators. A “tip of the cap” will be used as a salute to the opposing team to promote sportsmanship following the game.

Respect the game, respect the guidelines. Safe Play: Back to the Diamond Baseball and Softball COVID-19 Safety Guidelines

Mandatory Recommended Best Practices

ATHLETES • Must maintain six feet distance, whenever possible, • Whenever possible, equipment and personal from any other person. items should have proper sanitation and should • No spitting, chewing gum or eating sunflower seeds. not be shared. If equipment must be shared, • No sharing of food or drinks. proper sanitation should be administered • No touch rule – players must refrain from high fives, between users. handshake line, and any other physical contact with • Batting gloves should be worn whenever teammates, opposing players, coaches, umpires, and possible, especially when handling a bat. spectators. A “tip of the cap” will be used as a salute to • Hand sanitizing is strongly recommended during the opposing team to promote sportsmanship practices and games. following the game. • Wearing a face covering, when not actively participating in the field of play, is recommended.

PARENTS AND • Must maintain six feet distance from any other • Face coverings are strongly recommended for all person and stay in the designated spectator area parents and spectators. SPECTATORS outlined by the venue. • Only one parent/guardian per player is • No parents or spectators allowed at practices. recommended at games. • Must conduct a daily symptom assessment and stay • Hand washing or hand sanitizing, in the absence home if experiencing symptoms. of soap and water, is strongly recommended • No sunflower seeds allowed. during the games.

• Must maintain six feet distance from any other • Face coverings are strongly recommended. UMPIRES person. • Slow- umpires will be placed in the on-deck • Must conduct a daily symptom assessment and stay circle. home if experiencing symptoms. • Must avoid exchanging documents or equipment with any other person. • Must officiate the game from behind the pitcher’s mound. • No touch rule – umpires must refrain from physical contact with coaches, players, and spectators. A “tip of the cap” will be used as a salute to the teams to promote sportsmanship following the game.

COMMUNICATION • Each team must keep an accurate book of both teams • These guidelines should be communicated to all AND CONFIRMED including contact information. In the case of someone organizers for dissemination to coaches, getting infected this document will be necessary for umpires, and parents and posted at facilities. CASES Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to perform • Venue operators should post signage promoting contact tracing. physical distancing including directing foot • Organizers must post these guidelines at their facilities, traffic and outline spectator areas. where applicable, and disseminate them to all coaches, • Organizers should regularly communicate to umpires, players, and parents. their coaches, umpires, players, and parents • Organizers must contact the MDH about any suspected that they should stay home should they be case of COVID-19 or known exposure. experiencing any symptoms.

Respect the game, respect the guidelines.