Agoura Pony Baseball COVID-19 Protocols for the Spring 2021 Season
Revised 5/6/2021
Agoura Pony Baseball’s Board of Directors has consulted the California Department of Public Health COVID-19 guidelines for Outdoor and Indoor Youth and Recreational Adult Sports and the national PONY Baseball Guidelines for Restart Protocol. We adopt the following rules and procedures. Guidelines specific to fields and facilities are only for those locations managed by Agoura Pony Baseball. Fields and facilities managed by other leagues may have differing guidelines.
Personal Health Check
Any individual experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, positively diagnosed with COVID-19, or who has been in close contact with someone confirmed to have COVID-19 should stay at home and cannot resume any league activities, until a physician has cleared them, another COVID-19 test is taken, with the result being “negative”, or the required quarantine period has elapsed.
COVID-19 symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, fever, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell.
Entry screenings are required and can be done through methods such as on-line check in systems or through signage posted at the entrance to the facility stating that visitors with these symptoms should not enter the premises.
All entry screenings should be organized by the specific teams and then reported to the league if any screening answers are a “Yes”. We suggest that teams use a free App (such as Team Manager) to complete a daily health self-screening.
Notices
Face Coverings
Physical Distancing
Observers maintain at least 6 feet from non-household members.
Maintain at least six feet of distance between sport participants and others to the maximum extent possible, including when on the sidelines.
Maintain at least 6 feet of distance between coaches and participants and facilitate physical distancing between participants to the maximum extent possible.
Players/coaches are asked to refrain from handshakes, high fives, and fist bumps.
Equipment and Personal Items
Player equipment shall not be shared. Each player should provide his own helmet, fielder’s glove, batting gloves and baseball bat.
Some critical equipment may not be able to be obtained by every individual. When it is necessary to share critical or limited equipment, all surfaces of each piece of shared equipment must be cleaned and disinfected with an EPA-approved disinfectant against COVID-19 and allowed sufficient time to dry before use by a new player. Increased attention should be paid to detailed cleaning of all equipment directly contacting the head and face (i.e. umpire face mask, catcher’s mask).
Avoid paper scoring when possible. Prioritize electronic scoring programs as alternatives.
Avoid sharing personal phones or tablets for scoring.
Pre-game / Post-game
Games will be scheduled with staggered starts to allow for adequate space for entering and exiting groups.
Only one team shall be on the field at a time for warm-ups (except for the outfield which both teams can be on opposite sides of the outfield) for BP, and infield practice.
Home plate meetings should adhere to social distancing requirements.
Batting lineup shall be printed and posted on a clipboard next to the dugout.
In place of the end game handshake a team cap tipping will be used.
Mixing with other households prior to and post any practice or competition must strictly adhere to current gathering guidance.
Carpooling with children of different families is not recommended.
Players
All players are recommended to use hand sanitizer when entering the facility.
Players are encouraged to use hand sanitizer between innings.
It is recommended that parents send players with some form of hand sanitizer to be utilized during practices and games. Hand Sanitizer will be provided in the dugout for players and coaches if needed to use between each inning.
Batting team must not take the field until the entire fielding team is off the field.
Players shall not lick their fingers.
Players will not huddle at any time during games.
Team meetings, including pitching visits, should maintain physical distance of minimum 6 feet.
No food in the dugout/expanded dugout area unless due to medical necessity.
Players must bring their own, clearly labeled water or other beverage to consume during and after practice. No shared drinking fountains, portable hydration stations, or coolers may be used.
Umpires
Sharing of umpire equipment (e.g. face masks) is discouraged. However, in the event a youth umpire does not own their own face mask, the league equipment may be used. It will be the responsibility of the home team to disinfect the umpire’s face mask with an EPA registered disinfectant solution, and allow sufficient drying time before a new umpire. Face masks as well as disinfecting supplies will be located in the field’s shed. Disinfected facemasks will then be placed back in the field’s shed by the home team coach for use during the next game.
Spectators
Observation is limited such that all observers and spectators are able to maintain at least 6-foot distance from others who are not in their household group.
Live game cameras on each of our fields at Lupin can be accessed at this link: https://www.agouraponybaseball.org/Default.aspx?tabid=2097818
Spectators may position themselves along the outfield fence while maintaining the required social distance of 6 feet. Limited, marked seating available per household in the stands with either red or blue dots. We strongly recommend that you bring your own chair for outfield seating.
Spectators may not watch games from the sideline fences between the dugout gate and the outfield corner, or anywhere near the expanded dugout areas for players and coaches.
The grandstands will have red or blue dots on where spectators from the same immediate family can sit. Spectators cannot sit in any areas between the dots as that will violate the 6’ social distancing rules.
If coaches or league officials judge that spectators are not following social distancing safety guidelines sufficiently, play will be suspended until they comply. After two reminders, you will be asked to leave the facility. Non-compliance could result in removal from the league.
Whenever possible, spectators should allow a player or a coach to retrieve a foul ball or home run ball.
Dugouts
Signs will be posted to designate areas reserved for players and coaches.
Expanded dugouts will be established along the right field and left-field sideline fences from the dugout gate to the outfield corner.
A water bottle must remain in his or her designated space at all times.
When a player is not in the field, on base, at bat, or on deck, he or she must be positioned in the dugout or expanded dugout designated area maintaining 6-foot distance from teammates. Red or blue markers will be placed to identify the appropriate spacing in the dugout.
Cleaning fields and shared equipment
When equipment must be shared during play, specifically balls and bases, participants should perform hand hygiene (wash hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer) before play, during breaks, and after the conclusion of the activity.
Coaches or other team representatives must disinfect/clean the dugouts and expanded dugout areas after every game and practice. Disinfectants will be made available at each field.
Snack Shack / Team Snacks / Eating on Premises
No seeds, peanuts, chewing gum, or spitting at any time in the entire facility.
No team snacks should be brought from home.
When eating at the common area tables, 6 feet of distance between non household members at all times.
Snack shack limited to 2 staff members per shift if possible.
Recommendations for how to maintain social distancing at snack shack:
One team representative purchases snacks for the entire team from the Snack Shack, then distributes to kids as they leave the field.
Team representative monitors kids as they approach the Snack Shack - handing tickets out to kids as there is space available in line and at the order bay.
Scoring Booth
Restrooms
The bathrooms at the school will only be available for games on Saturdays. The porta-potties between Pinto and Shetland are available for all games and practices.
The school bathrooms will be cleaned frequently (approximately every 2 hours) on Saturdays.
The porta-potties will be cleaned each evening after weekday games and approximately every 2 hours on Saturdays.
The league will provide PPE and other necessary cleaning supplies for staff that cleans the bathrooms and porta-potties.
League COVID-19 Safety Coordinator / Preparing for When Someone Gets Sick
Our league COVID-19 Safety Coordinator is Samantha Carpenter. The League COVID-19 Safety Coordinator is responsible for notifying league members about potential exposures.
If you, your child, and/or a spectator who attended a game tests positive for COVID-19 and was infectious during your attendance at an APB event, we ask that you notify the League COVID-19 Safety Coordinator at [email protected]. In compliance with privacy laws, names of individuals who are sick will not be released.
Following a confirmed case of a child or coach who was at practice or games during his or her infectious period, the coaches and team members of that team will be notified, cease practice, and not participate in games during the 10-day quarantine period. An exposure qualifies as anyone that was within six feet of the individual for a period of time exceeding 15 minutes.
Following a confirmed case of a child or coach who was at a game during his or her infection period, the opposing team will be notified.
The league Board of Directors will determine whether the whole league will pause practices and/or games when multiple teams are quarantined due to COVID-19 within the same 10-day period.
Every attempt will be made to reschedule missed games. If the league is unable to do so, games will be cancelled and not forfeited by either party.
APB has contracted with Clean Setz, LLC. Dugout, common area tables, snack shack counters, bathrooms, etc. will be professionally disinfected after a positive COVID-19 case is reported.
If a child, coach, or spectator develops symptoms during practice or a game, the child or coach should immediately be separated and go home or to a healthcare facility, depending on how severe their symptoms are, and follow CDC guidance for caring for oneself and others who are sick.
Individuals who have had close contact with a person who has symptoms should be separated and sent home as well and follow CDC guidance for community-related exposure.
Non compliance with these guidelines will result in suspension or potential removal from the league.