Carson Valley Little League COVID-19 Game Safety Protocol

This plan supplements the Carson Valley Little League 2020 ASAP: Last Updated 1/23/2021

Facility Set Up & Check-in Plan

1.       All players should enter Lampe Park near Field 2 to be temperature screened.  Players should use the North entrance alternately with the South entrance (depending on game schedule) to Aspen Park

a.       Officer of the Day (OOD) will document game attendance and responses to the screening questions by league issued form.

2.       The snack bars will be open, but will only be serving pre-packaged snacks and drinks. Only 2 workers   will be allowed in the snack bar. There will be no seeds, peanuts or gum sold, or allowed.

3.       Bathroom occupancy is limited to one person at a time.

4.       Parents/spectators will be allowed to watch 6-feet apart beyond the outfield fence.

Health Assessment

1.       Testing

a.        All managers, coaches, and umpires are required to take a COVID-19 test, 2 weeks prior to the start of the spring game season in order to participate in league sanctioned games. (NV Directive 034)

b.       Additionally, CVLL will be providing a player waiver that will need to be signed prior to the start of the season.

2.       Screening

a.       All managers, coaches, players, and umpires must stay home if they are feeling sick. All attendees are encouraged to self-screen before coming to the ball fields.

b.       Before each game, the OOD will screen all coaches, players, and umpires by asking the following questions:

(1)    “Have you felt sick the last 10 days with fever (100.4 or higher), chills, cough, sore throat, body aches, new loss of taste or smell?”

(2)    “Have you been in contact with anyone diagnosed with COVID-19 in the last 14 days?” 1. If answered yes, they will not be allowed to enter. Additionally, they must home quarantine for 10 days after exposure and provide medical clearance to return.

(3)     If answered “yes”, they will not be allowed to enter and asked to leave.

c.       All attendees will have their temperature monitored via touchless thermometer.

d.       All attendees will receive hand sanitizer upon entering the park.

e.       If a coach or umpire observes a player displaying symptoms, they must have the player stop playing immediately. The manager will ask the player to find their parent and leave the field and not return to play until 10 days later.

3.       Documentation

a.       All managers, coaches, players, umpires, and league officials will have attendance and responses documentation and kept in league binders. Check-in documentation will be signed off by the President, VP, or Safety Officer each night.

4.       Confirmed Cases

a.       If a manager, coach, player, umpire, or league official tests positive for COVID-19 or has been recently exposed, League officials will assess the timeline of exposure and potential team exposure on a case by case basis to determine further preventative actions.

b.       Individuals or their household members who test positive for COVID-19 should immediately isolate and seek medical care. Confirmed diagnosed and exposed individuals must home quarantine for 10 days and provide medical clearance before returning.

c.       If a manager, coach, or player tests positive for COVID-19 AND had recently been in close contact with their team, the entire team will be required to quarantine for 10 days with all games being cancelled until medically cleared to resume.

Capacity and Game Logistics

1.       Capacity

a.       There will be no more than 50 total people (players, managers, coaches, umpires) per field.

b.       Bleachers will not be used for spectators. Spaces will be marked off 6 feet apart for players who are not actively playing, or who are waiting to bat.

c.       Parents/spectators may watch 6-feet apart beyond the outfield fence. Face masks are encouraged for parents and spectators.

2.       Game Logistics

a.       Players in the dugout shall be spaced 6 feet apart and must remain seated. Masks are required when not actively playing.

b.       Players

(1)    Defensive team

(a)    Defensive team can have up to 3 players in the dugout, seated 6 feet apart if those players do not have a defensive position in the defensive half inning. Additional players with no defensive position will watch the game from their marked spot on their respective bleachers

(b)    Pitchers who are warming up (to include a coach and a catcher) can warm up in the nearest unoccupied bullpen area.

(2)    Offensive Team

(a)    All bats, helmets and catcher’s gear will be stored in the dugout.

(b)    Offensive team will have their players with their gloves, lined up in their set batting order. 6 feet distance must be maintained while in the dugout. The remainder of the players will be lined up on their marked spots on their respective bleachers.

(c)     A coach in the dugout will coordinate the batting order. All players and coach in the dugout must wear a mask.

(d)    While readying to bat, the players will place their hat and glove on the bench, then put on a batting helmet, batting gloves, etc. 6 feet distance must be maintained while in the dugout.

(e)    Offensive players who are called out or score as the inning continues will return their helmet to the dugout, pick up their hat and glove from the bench and immediately be seated and replace their mask.

(f)      Base coaches will remain in a marked coach’s box. Base coaches must always maintain 6 feet distance from the base runners or defensive players.

(g)    A coach in the dugout will coordinate the batting order and must maintain 6 feet of distance from players.

(3)    Coaches

               (a) Each team will have 3 on-field coaches.

               (b) Defensive team – One coach will be allowed in the dugout. Additional coaches will watch

                     from the bench and must remain seated 6 feet apart.

               (c) Manager will sit just inside the dugout, giving adequate space for those entering.

               (d) Pitching visits: Coaches will maintain 6 feet of distance during pitching visits.

      (4) Umpires

(a)    Home umpire and field umpires must maintain 6 feet of distance to any player and will be required to wear a mask.

Guidelines for Coaches and Players

1.       Arrival and departure timing (NV Health Requirements via LEAP)

a.       Games shall be timed to allow at least a 30 minute break between the finish and start of subsequent sessions, to allow for departure and arrival without crowding.

b.       Players, coaches and umpires will be asked to arrive no earlier than 15 minutes prior to a game.

2.       Social distancing requirements

a.       All managers, coaches, and umpires must maintain 6 feet of social distance. Social distancing will be monitored and enforced by the CVLL Officer of the Day (OOD).

b.       Managers, coaches, and umpires must wear masks at all times. (NV Health requirement via LEAP)

c.       Players must wear a face-covering while not active in the game (ex. waiting to bat in the dugout).

d.       Players shall not congregate before or after a game. (NV Health requirement via LEAP)

e.       No high fives or fist bumps. Managers, coaches, and players will use some other type of non-contact way to acknowledge a good play.

Sanitization

1.       Equipment and Sanitization

a.       Hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes and spray will be provided and accessible in every dugout.

b.       Players should use hand sanitizer after playing catch or handling the ball during a defensive half inning.

c.       Clean game balls will be cycled in every inning. Each team will be provided a clean game ball for every pitcher. If the game ball needs to be replace, the home plate umpire will provide a new ball to the pitcher.

d.       Personal equipment and belongings must be lined up along the outside of the dugout fence and a minimum of 6 feet apart. (NV Health requirement via LEAP)

e.       Players cannot share personal equipment (bats, gloves, etc.) Team equipment, i.e. helmets, catcher’s gear will be sprayed and wiped down with sanitizing wipes between uses. Each player is encouraged to have their own batting helmet.

f.        Players must bring their own water bottles. No team water or cups.

g.       No team snacks.

h.       No spitting or eating seeds, gum or similar products. (NV Health requirement via LEAP)

i.         Managers and coaches must clean the handles of any shed equipment used to prepare the field with disinfecting wipes.

j.         Managers and coaches must clean the fence handles to all gates, (field entrance, dugout entrance, bullpen entrance) as well as the bench prior to vacating the field after their game with disinfecting wipes.

k.       Players, coaches and umpires must use hand sanitizer before leaving the field at the end of the game.


This plan is subject to change at any time. Thank you