How to Play Softball During a Pandemic

[BlaineAB]

I wonder at what point that all the protocols and changes to how games would be played make playing worse than not playing?

Personal decision, I guess. Sports are such a social activity, though.

 

[Ken Krause]

Sorry everyone. I realized I derailed the discussion going on here with my post. Rather than continuing to have it go off the rails I've deleted my original post and the ones around it.

The topic isn't about whether it's safe to play. It's about assuming there will be tournaments and how best to approach them. Let's keep the topic to that.

 

[ArmWhip]

Put the umps behind the pitcher, we do it in scrimmages. Solves that problem.

With binoculars of course.

Just kidding MiB.

 

[efastball]

 

[Nunthia1914]

Got this email today on procedures from a regional/national director on options they are considering for tournaments.
That would not be a good idea. The players all touch the ball and bats hit the ball. The players all sit in the dug out. The ump has to get close to catcher and hitters. I would think it would be against the law in the state you live in. Not only that but the regional people in charge who sent you a letter is taking a bad chance in that what would happen if someone at the game got the virus?

 

[tim_s]

Originally from eastern PA in the Lehigh Valley,
been in central MA, north of Worcester, for the last 11 years. In Orange County, NY for 13 before MA, Colorado for 3, California for 3.
Sounds like I'm reciting where I did time.

we're supposed to be in greenfield and newburyport (although technically a NH tourney) the end of july, and i expect both of those to get nixed.....although the parents i talked to seemed willing to go, i'll assume we'll be staying in maine and playing maine teams

we have a DH scheduled june 7.....technically a 'scrimmage', i'll assume we'll be umpiring (as we may for the entire month at least)....we are working out details now, i am guessing we'll adopt the dugout distancing we've seen in play, limit fans to their cars (we have pretty decent views, especially if we don't put our outfield signs up)

local tournaments will hopefully still be happening.....maine AAU basketball is starting to play in june, and if they are running basketball tournies, i am guessing we'll get the greenlight? sounds like maine teams only, which is fine......i believe NH is going to do the same (in state only)

we know quite a few of the teams you've mentioned . DD#1 and my group is 1st year 16u, #2 is first year 14u

 

[cvsoftball]

Interesting conversation! I see no reason not to allow local leagues, especially if you are semi-rural like we are. We are OUTside. If people want to sit together or not, that's their call. As an aside, I can recall times as a 3B coach for 10,12 14U teams, when signals were clearly not being processed by the runner on first who was intently staring at me or perhaps someone behind me, yelling across the diamond "Steal!" So, yes, you can coach from a distance.

 

[fastpitch91]

BEST news ever. no more daddy coaching from behind the backstop. Who can argue with the ref from the outfield. This rule should be in place forever............... of course im a coach not a parent

( to specators being downthe foul lines in past the OF fence)

 

[_MIA_]

BEST news ever. no more daddy coaching from behind the backstop. Who can argue with the ref from the outfield. This rule should be in place forever............... of course im a coach not a parent

I was mad because I normally sit in the OF and now everybody is going to be there with me...

 

[_MIA_]

MSP just put out the guidelines for the OKC Challenge which is in Oklahoma at the end of May. One thing which they did, with the intention of mitigation, which seems like it might have the opposite effect, is to charge the team a flat rate for gate. Each team has to pay $250 to be able to play. You won't have to show anything at the gate to get in and the intention was to limit big lines at the gate, but it seems with this you would be possibly allowing for more actual people to be inside the various facilities since individuals won't have to pay. We'll see I guess. The number of teams entered is way down for various reasons (one of them being a draw for that tournament is the WCWS is typically played that same week) so it may not be a big deal.