Below you will find the information that will be e-mailed to all players and parents who have registered for our Development Season.
Hello SMBA Parents and Players,
Thank you for registering for the Development season Simcoe Minor Baseball is putting on for 2020.
We wanted to send an email with all pertinent information in one place, so everyone knows how everything will work.
Baseball Ontario has released a Return to Sport document, which has the protocols that SMBA will have to follow during our Development sessions.
We wanted to make sure everyone was aware of a few major points, so issues will be kept to a minimum once we start.
1. Currently, we are only allowed 10 people on a Diamond at one time. This means parents MUST stay in the parking lot for the time being. Once group sizes increase from the provincial government, this will be revisited.
2. We recommend everyone has their own equipment. This would include their own glove, helmet and baseball bat. If you do not have any of these pieces of equipment, please let us know and we will make sure we have some available, which will be sanitized in between each person using it.
Uniforms will not be provided, but players should dress accordingly.
3. As per Baseball Ontario rules, all players and volunteers must hand sanitize every 30 minutes. The sanitizer will be provided by SMBA.
4. Three strike rule:
SMBA has done all our homework and is following all the baseball Ontario and provincial/municipal Covid 19 rules and regulations so that all players and volunteers remain safe, and that will be SMBA’s number one goal. A review will be done with the players at the beginning of each training session explaining the importance of these rules. Saying that, if a player or volunteer does not follow rules properly, then SMBA will need to enforce these rules. SMBA will be implementing the following steps in our 3-strike rule.
1: If a player is not following the rules and guidelines, they will be administered a verbal warning the first time.
2: On a second occurrence of rule violation in the same training session, the player will be removed from the playing field for a time out.
3: If a third violation is made during the same training session the player will be asked to leave. If no parent is present at the park, they will be removed from the field and asked to sit and await the return of the parent. The player would be eligible to return for the next practice.
If an individual player is removed from a practice session after the three strikes and continues to be an issue in following practices, then SMBA will meet with the parents and determine whether they will be allowed to attend any further practice/ training sessions.
Again, SMBA is working to keep everyone safe, and cannot tolerate or risk others if an individual will not follow the rules.
5. For all the diamonds SMBA will use, we are not planning to use any dugouts. Each diamond will be laid out with 2 pylons for each player. 1 pylon will be where they put their equipment, and the second will be where they will start the practice. Please ensure your players are aware of this.
6. Stalker Park and Memorial Park you will use the main entrances of the parks to get to the diamonds.
7. Lions park will have 3 entrances. 1 for each diamond. Please park your vehicle closest to the diamond your player is assigned to. Please see attached for the diamond layout at Lions Park.
8. Each diamond will have a volunteer at the entrance. As per OBA rules, each player should do a COVID self-assessment before going to the ballpark. Once you arrive, the volunteer will ask if you have done the self-assessment, and then will take the players temperature. If your child registers A temperature of 38 degrees or higher, they will be asked to leave for that night's session. A second reading can also be taken to confirm fever temperature. If the second reading is normal, the player would be allowed to attend. IF YOU DO NOT FEEL WELL, IN ANY WAY, PLEASE STAY HOME.
9. The volunteer will also be keeping attendance each session, in the event contact tracing is required.
10. Washrooms will NOT be open at any of the ballparks. Please plan accordingly.
11. Each diamond time will be planned for roughly an hour and 10 minutes.
Thank you for your interest in Simcoe Minor Baseball. If you have any questions, you can send an email to [email protected]
SMBA Development Committee.