Dear NSBA Players and Families,
Here is the latest baseball update from Baseball BC.
As British Columbia’s re-opening plan takes shape and more provincial health restrictions are lifted across all aspects of life, including sport, Baseball BC is amending its Return to Play Guidelines in an effort to provide increased clarity and simplicity for all participants, members organizations and clubs.
This communication is intended to replace any previous Baseball BC Return to Play Guidelines and previous restrictions placed on sport. Baseball BC will now work towards the timelines in the BC Government four step re-opening plan and will not establish new timelines for what baseball activity can occur and when.
On May 25, 2021 the BC Government announced its Restart Plan. Below we share the link to ViaSport’s Return to Sport Restart 2.0 chart.
Return_to_Sport_Restart_2.0_Chart_06-01.pdf (viasport.ca)
We are optimistic with the plan going forward, however, the situation may differ by area, therefore, we must all continue to follow the BC health authority’s guidance and require all members and affiliated clubs to do the same. We also understand that each municipality has potentially different restrictions and limitations for bookings/activity, therefore, please work with your local cities/municipalities to adhere to any requirements to ensure you are providing a safe environment for all participants.
Youth sport programming reminders (as of June 4, 2021):
- The activity must always comply with the general measures, recommendations, and any gathering restrictions issued by the BC health authorities.
- In club game play only permitted.
- No spectators permitted.
- Travel only within the three extended health regions for the purpose of attending your home club.
- Physical distancing not required on the field of play, including dugout area.
- 2 metres social distancing is still required outside the field of play.
- Keep a participant record for contract tracing needs, including symptom screening.
- Communicate to participants any hygiene measures in alignment with current information issued by the BC health authorities, including staying home if sick.
- Remind all players to bring their own refreshments and do not share water bottles.
- Please adjust current safety plans to align with this Return to Play Plan for Baseball and ViaSport’s Restart Sport 2.0 Chart, including updating Emergency Response & Outbreak Plans.
Baseball programming is able to return to traditional programming provided all PHO guidelines are met within the reminders and provincial restrictions noted above.
Please note that some participants may need additional time to fully return to traditional programming. It is required that all participants and member organizations work collaboratively to ensure all stakeholders do so safely and when they are ready. Possible examples of this are as follows;
There will be some officials who will require time to adjust to traditional positioning mechanics, or will elect to continue with the modified mechanics based on the training they received in preparation for 2021. Return to traditional positioning is not a mandated change and some officials who do not yet feel safe about returning to working behind the catcher, may elect to continue with the modified positioning. Please take direction from the Local Sport Organization (LSO’s) Umpire in Chief in this area.
Should any member organization and/or affiliated club wishing to add stricter guidelines, measures and precautions they are able to do so for the baseball activity they oversee within their specific organization.
Further relaxations are expected when the province moves to Phase 2, no earlier than June 15th, and should see the following allowances added;
- Increased travel
- Limited spectators.
While we are very excited as an organization about the return to more traditional programming, we do wish at this time to encourage everyone to be patient and to follow all remaining timelines, requirements and restrictions in place as thing slowly but surely move back towards what we are all waiting for.
Sincerely,
Board of Directors
North Shore Baseball Association