COLONIE LITTLE LEAGUE

June 10th, 2020

Village of Colonie Parks & Recreation 2 Thunder Albany, NY 12205

Re: Safely Returning to Play Baseball at Cook Park

Colonie Little League Baseball is one of the oldest and proudest youth sports leagues in the capital district area. Colonie Little League at Cook Park has been servicing its community for 50+ years and is woven into the fabric of many families in our area.

The COVID-19 pandemic presents Little League organizations across the nation with many challenges. We know this outbreak has been stressful to many and recognize that exercising and participating in activities like sports can be a healthy way to cope with stress and connect with our community. After careful thought and planning, Colonie Little League Executive Board intends to pursue forward in playing its 2020 recreational baseball season at Cook Park once we have entered into Phase 4 of NYS reopening plan and received the approval to proceed. We will be following local and state guidelines along with CDC considerations to protect players, families, and our community.

The health and safety of our athletes, staff, volunteers and spectators remain our highest priority. Below, you will find a summary of actions we are taking to help ensure we are lowering COVID-19 risk as much as possible, while also allowing our athletes to play. Any return to competition and implementation of this guidance should be established in conjunction with the relevant local authorities.

Safety Plan for Colonie Little League at Cook Park (This document is subject to change and Colonie Little League reserves the right to modify, change this document as required to ensure the safety and health of our community.) Rev. Date: 07/02/20 / Rev #: 4 Mandatory Recommendation Prior to Leaving ü Anyone planning to visit the baseball Home for Cook Park fields at Cook Park are recommended to use the health symptom checker on the CDC website to check if you have any symptoms on the CDC list. ü Parents/family members are to use the CDC health symptom checker to ensure minors do not have a fever or any symptoms on the CDC list

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ü CDC link - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019- ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html ü Anyone experiencing symptoms, must stay home. Arriving and ü 2 parent per player will be permitted in Entering CLL the park per NYS sports and recreation Baseball Fields at guidelines. Cook Park ü There will be “Designated” entrance for entering the baseball park based the specific level and field your child/player is playing on. Majors / Tee Ball Field – is the front entrance (near clubhouse/main concession stand), Internationals Field – would enter in from middle entrance ( near parking lot dumpster / main shed) Pee Wee and Junior Pee Wee Field – would enter in from furthest entrance (near the small concession stand). Field entry signs will be place at each of the 3 entrances. Please see field map appendix 1 below for more details ü Safety boards and sanitizer stations will be located at each of 3 designated entrances into fields. ü EVERYONE entering are to read and compile with our safety board Practice ü 2 parent per player will be permitted in ü Hand washing or hand the park per NYS sports and recreation sanitizing in absence of soap guidelines. and water is recommended ü Activities would be limited to baseball during practice and when at drills that do not promote or require the baseball field players or coaches to be within 6 feet of ü Players are to bring their own each other baseball equipment for use, ü Masks to be carried and worn IF anyone however CLL understands this needs to be within 6 feet for any reason, can be a challenge for families such as attending first aid in our community, so CLL will ü No sharing of equipment, for example be providing some equipment , baseball bats, for use. Any equipment used gloves, cleats, helmets, catching gear, by more than one player will etc.) If equipment is shared (not be required to be wiped down recommended) it MUST be

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clean/disinfected between uses by with sanitizer between each different individuals use. ü No sharing of water or food ü Sanitizer will be on site in the field area during practices

Games ü 2 parent per player will be permitted in ü Hand washing or hand the park sanitizing in absence of soap ü Only uniformed players that day will be and water is recommended permitted into the park during games and when at the ü 3 coaches on the field. baseball field ü No seeds or gum ü Players are to bring their own ü Sanitizer will be on site in the field area baseball equipment for use, during games however CLL understands this ü No team huddles will be permitted can be a challenge for families ü No sharing of equipment, for example in our community, so CLL will baseball glove, baseball bats, batting be providing some equipment gloves, cleats, helmets, catching gear, for use. Any equipment used etc.) If equipment is shared (not by more than one player will recommended) it MUST be be required to be wiped down clean/disinfected between uses by with sanitizer between each different individuals ü Teams on offense will have only 1 coach use. and the current 4 players in the in the . All other players must be outside the dugout socially distanced. ü Assistant coaches monitor and control players outside of the dugouts ü Mound visits by the catcher or manager only (Not both). All must remain socially distanced. ü Home plate ump may call balls and strikes from a position between the pitcher and 2nd base Athletes ü Only uniformed players that day will be ü Hand washing or hand permitted into the park sanitizing in absence of soap ü Individual players may bring food or drink and water is recommended for themselves during practice, games and ü No seeds or gum when at the baseball field ü No sharing of equipment, for example ü Players are to bring their own baseball glove, baseball bats, batting baseball equipment for use, gloves, cleats, helmets, catching gear, however CLL understands this etc.) If equipment is to be shared (not can be a challenge for families

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recommended) it MUST be in our community, so CLL will clean/disinfected between uses by be providing some equipment different individuals for use. Any equipment used by more than one player will be required to be wiped down with sanitizer between each use.

Coaches ü Coaches are to adhere social distance ü Coaches should ensure players rule. are adhering to social distance ü Coaches are to have a mask/face guidelines in the dugouts and covering with them and worn IF needs other seating areas. to be within 6 feet for any reason. ü Hand washing or hand ü No sharing of equipment, for example sanitizing in absence of soap baseball glove, baseball bats, batting and water is recommended gloves, cleats, helmets, catching gear, during practice, games and etc.) If equipment is to be shared (not when at the baseball field recommended) it MUST be clean/disinfected between uses by different individuals

Spectators ü Spectators/Parents/Family members ü Hand washing or hand will be socially distances and restricted sanitizing in absence of soap inside the playing areas and dugouts and water is recommended ü Spectators/Parents/Family members are during practice, games and to have a mask/face covering with them when at the baseball field and worn if social distance guidelines can’t be maintained ü Only immediate families/households of players can spectate the game. ü 2 parent per player will be permitted in the park per NYS sports and recreation guidelines.

Umpires / Officials ü Umpires are to adhere social distance ü Hand washing or hand rule when interacting with players, sanitizing in absence of soap coaches and spectators off the field of and water is recommended play during practice, games and ü Umpires are to have a mask/face when at the baseball field covering with them and worn IF needs to be within 6 feet for any reason.

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ü Home plate ump may call balls and strikes from a position between the pitcher and 2nd base Leaving CLL ü Once a team has completed play, they Baseball Fields at must leave the park. Please leave Cook Park through your designated entrance that you entered the fields. Bathroom ü All three bathrooms will be open for use during practices and/or games. ü Officer on duty is to inspect the bathroom during shift and wipe down areas, remove trash and stock bathroom as required. ü Managers/Coaches after every practice and/or game are to inspect the bathroom and wipe down areas, remove trash and stock bathroom as required. ü Visitors/Spectators using bathrooms at the baseball field during practice and/or games are kindly asked to wipe down the areas after use and to notify a league official, officer, team manager and/or coach if bathroom needs attention or supplies. Concession Stand ü At this particular time is not opening, ü As an alternative, looking at however will see what happens once we more vending machine options Phase 4. No cooked food, looking at for around the field pre-package food, snacks, drinks, maybe pizza. As an alternative, looking vending machine options.

Traveling State ü EVERYONE is to follow NYS and/or Local Govt recommended guidelines regarding self-quarantine measures when traveling out of state

Required Forms ü “Hold Harmless” waivers would be required from all families/players releasing the Village, Town and The CLL League from responsibility from illness

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Timeline

Event Responsible Target Date Volunteers ü finalize officer schedule Complete by July 4th - Responsibilities based on games. Finalize - Schedule teams and outline officer duties/responsibilities – Secretary - in process Season Schedule (Tentative) ü Finalize teams and upload – Games start, Saturday Player Agent- completed July 11th ü Develop game schedule and SI Play upload – VP of Ops - completed Drafting of Teams ü Completed back in March - Completed - Majors Next step is to upload and - Internationals notify parents - Pee Wee Managers/Coaches Meeting ü Player Agent to schedule Complete by July 7th - Background Checks team meeting to review - Voluntary Form rules and get equipment bag – In process ü Security Officer – send notifications for background checks/forms – in process

Cook Park Opened ü VP of Fields – prep fields for Complete by July 10th - Fields / opening day – in process - Designated specific field ü Field entrance signs – order entrances for games – to be hanged - Tables / Garbage Cans ü Batting Cage order in cage - Equipment balls - completed - Sanitizer Dispensers ü Equipment bags organized - Signage and readty for hand out - completed ü Sanitizers dispensers order and at fields - completed

Order Social Distance Signage/Safety ü Ordered – looking to Complete by July 10th Board for entrance received by July 8th – install is next – in process

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PPP Gear ü Ordered and received at the Complete by June 30th 1 - Gloves fields - Masks - Hand Sanitizer Online Tools ü All items are on website and Complete by July 10th - Waiver to Play notifications have been - Medical Release sent. Team managers/Coachs are responsible for collect their respected teams and turn in to league

Complete Reopening Safety Plan ü Completed and submitted Complete by June 1st to Village of Colonie to reopen Cook Park Fields and proceed to return to play - completed

References:

“2020 Season Resumption Guide” Little League International, https://www.littleleague.org/player- safety/coronavirus-update/season-resumption-guide/,

“NYS Reopening Guide and Information on Novel Coronavirus”, https://forward.ny.gov/

“NYS Reopening Sports and Recreation Guidelines”, https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/SportsAndRecreationSummaryGuidan ce.pdf

“CDC Considerations and Guide for Youth Sports”, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019- ncov/community/schools-childcare/youth-sports.html

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Appendix 1: Cook Park: Baseball Field – Traffic Pattern

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