EMPIRE SOFTBALL 2020
Guidelines for Play
It goes without saying that this has been a difficult year for Adult Softball so far. As the permits slowly start coming in and we begin to plan for the upcoming season to start shortly - we need your help now more than ever in complying with the rules and regulations that the facilities and towns we utilize to play are requiring of us.
As many of you have probably seen, many places in Suffolk have opened up to youth sports and little leagues, while being very hesitant to offer permits to private Adult Softball Leagues, including Empire. It is extremely important for us to enforce whatever rules they ask of us - in order to guarantee the continuation of our league.
The following are the guidelines that we must adhere to in the coming weeks in order to be allowed to play during the current heath crisis.
As many of you have probably seen, many places in Suffolk have opened up to youth sports and little leagues, while being very hesitant to offer permits to private Adult Softball Leagues, including Empire. It is extremely important for us to enforce whatever rules they ask of us - in order to guarantee the continuation of our league.
The following are the guidelines that we must adhere to in the coming weeks in order to be allowed to play during the current heath crisis.
- While masks are not required during game play, every player MUST have one with them and ready to be worn at all times.
- Every team manager will be required to have a bottle of hand sanitizer in the team dugout at all times - to be available for your players to use as they see fit throughout the game.
- Managers must wear a face mask during the pre-game conference with the umpire.
- Dugouts are limited to 3 people. When your team is batting, players (beyond 3) will be required to be outside of the dugout and practicing social distancing guidelines.
- If your team arrives to a field while a game is in progress, all players must wait until the teams from the previous game have completely cleared out of the dugout and field area. As such, we ask all teams to clean out their dugout and head to the parking lot as soon as possible after the game ends.
- There will be NO handshaking, high-fives or fist bumps before, during or after the game. There will not be a lineup of teams at home plate shaking hands after the game.
- It is strongly encouraged for players not to share equipment, including bats, unless you have a means of sanitizing such equipment between the usage of different players.
- Spitting, Dipping, and chewing sunflower seeds or peanuts is now strictly prohibited at all fields.
- NO PLAYER WILL PARTICIPATE in any capacity without having signed the USSSA Covid "Return to Play" waiver, submitted to the league, umpire or scorekeeper. The form can be found by CLICKING HERE.
- It is STRONGLY ENCOURAGED for players to not bring any spectators (family or friends) to their games. If they do, all spectators (children and adults) will be required to bring their own chair which will be situated along the left or right field fence. All spectators will be required to maintain social distancing requirements and be wearing masks if they are in close contact to the field, any player, or any other spectator. No spectator will be allowed in the dugout, behind the backstop or within a certain distance of the playing field.
- When playing at any Brookhaven field or Baseball Heaven, there can be absolutely NO CONGREGATION of players before or after the game in their parking lots. We encourage you to instead head to a restaurant, bar or other small business that may be struggling currently, such as Rudis, and support them as they have supported us in the past.
The Towns and Facilities will be spot-checking games.
As noted above, many of the Towns are very hesitant to offer us permits under the current climate as it is. They will be randomly checking our games throughout the season to ensure we are complying with their regulations. This is no joke. If we want to play, we have to follow the regulations put forth until things get back to normal.
In addition, even though it has always been an enforced rule - there can be absolutely NO DRINKING or SMOKING MARIJUANA at the fields or anywhere on the grounds. If I catch your team, I will have no choice but to remove the team from the league with no warnings, with no refund. If the town should suspect anything while doing their spot-checking, the entire division will likely be shut down.
If you are a manager that is not certain you will be able to control your team and ensure everything listed above, please do everyone a favor and remove your team from the league now. I promise you, there will be no hard feelings. I just can't stress enough - that if we dont follow these rules in the upcoming weeks and months, there will no longer be a league for us to offer you.
With all that said, I know that we have hundreds and hundreds of players, encompassing every extreme of the political spectrum. In recent days I have talked to so many of you - and everyone seems to have a different philosophy or belief about what is happening present day with this virus. But here is the reality of the situation:
I can't say it enough times .... we appreciate and value every one of you more than can be expressed. It is our team managers that have enabled Empire to grow from nothing to one of the biggest leagues on Long Island in a few short years. We are well aware of how much work you put into making your teams happen week to week. But now once again, we are asking for your help. Please share everything listed above with your players. And I truly mean it when I say it - If you believe that following the above guidelines are too difficult or impossible for you to enforce among your team - please wait until Fall or a future season to participate. There is an extreme amount of pressure on us to adhere to these guidelines and if we dont, there may not be a league at all going forward.
Any questions or concerns, please reach out anytime.
Thank You!
- Ryan
In addition, even though it has always been an enforced rule - there can be absolutely NO DRINKING or SMOKING MARIJUANA at the fields or anywhere on the grounds. If I catch your team, I will have no choice but to remove the team from the league with no warnings, with no refund. If the town should suspect anything while doing their spot-checking, the entire division will likely be shut down.
If you are a manager that is not certain you will be able to control your team and ensure everything listed above, please do everyone a favor and remove your team from the league now. I promise you, there will be no hard feelings. I just can't stress enough - that if we dont follow these rules in the upcoming weeks and months, there will no longer be a league for us to offer you.
With all that said, I know that we have hundreds and hundreds of players, encompassing every extreme of the political spectrum. In recent days I have talked to so many of you - and everyone seems to have a different philosophy or belief about what is happening present day with this virus. But here is the reality of the situation:
- Despite every precaution or regulation put into place - there is absolutely no chance that we will ever be able to say you are safe from contracting this virus, or any injury or illness for that matter, when participating in an adult softball league. If you are nervous about it, are high-risk, going home to a household that includes family members that are high risk - or otherwise have a heightened concern - you should probably choose not to participate.
- If you or any of your players think there is no risk at all, and believe this whole thing to be fake news - the reality is that in order to play in our league we will still insist that you have respect for the rest of the people at the field that feel differently than you. If any player refuses to adhere to the above guidelines, or in any way intimidates another player based on their feelings on this - they will be removed from the league.
- What it comes down to for everyone involved is to take personal responsibility. Make the decision that is right for you. Dont touch your face, sanitize your hands between innings, practice social distancing, etc.
- Bottom Line: We are a unique business that does not simply rely on Governor Cuomo to give us a start date and protocols to follow in order to open. We are additionally required to follow all of the guidelines and regulations put forth by the towns and facilities of which we utilize fields to play, if they choose to allow us to do so. If we (as a whole league) are not willing or able to comply - there will be no league to participate in.
I can't say it enough times .... we appreciate and value every one of you more than can be expressed. It is our team managers that have enabled Empire to grow from nothing to one of the biggest leagues on Long Island in a few short years. We are well aware of how much work you put into making your teams happen week to week. But now once again, we are asking for your help. Please share everything listed above with your players. And I truly mean it when I say it - If you believe that following the above guidelines are too difficult or impossible for you to enforce among your team - please wait until Fall or a future season to participate. There is an extreme amount of pressure on us to adhere to these guidelines and if we dont, there may not be a league at all going forward.
Any questions or concerns, please reach out anytime.
Thank You!
- Ryan
MANAGER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
All team managers are required to accept all of the above stated rules and regulations in order for their team to participate this summer and acknowledge as much by completing the form below.
As the team manager, I fully understand and acknowledge all of the rules and regulations stated above that are required for my team to play this summer. I have shared all of the information with my players and I know that I take full responsibility of the team. If we default in any capacity, the team will be removed from the league with no refund offered.
As the team manager, I fully understand and acknowledge all of the rules and regulations stated above that are required for my team to play this summer. I have shared all of the information with my players and I know that I take full responsibility of the team. If we default in any capacity, the team will be removed from the league with no refund offered.