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Post by softballfan5 on Apr 29, 2020 8:14:59 GMT -5
Lysol wipe down everything before you start, masks worn by all, no high fives or shaking hands, all plays are force plays, social distancing by all as best you can (teams and bench staff), home plate umpire behind the back stop or umpire has to wear all PPE equipment, no tournaments; league or exhibition games only (double headers), possibility of provincials if things are better by then. PLAY BALL!!
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dame6
Junior Team Member
Posts: 41
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Post by dame6 on Apr 29, 2020 9:12:31 GMT -5
There are more people than not wanting to get back onto the fields and having these girls play. I'm one of them but let's be realistic here. We are being selfish. If we have to bring lysol wipes and wipe everything down, and we all have to wear masks and PPE, and we cannot tag, and we cannot handshake, and umpires have to stand behind the fence, and, and, and. If we have to do ALL that, then it is not safe to be out there. It's painful but it's the reality. Who will constantly sanitize bathrooms after every use, who will run the snack bars and yet stand 6 ft apart, who will get to stand the closest to the diamond to watch their daughter play? The list goes on and on. Again, if we are thinking this, then it's not safe! Can you imagine having players wear masks, underneath their helmet on a hot summer day! Girls want to play, I get that, but as adults, I think we need to be the more responsible ones and come to terms that this just isn't safe for everyone. At least not now or in the foreseeable future - exhibition, league, or championship games.
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Post by softballfan5 on Apr 29, 2020 9:37:30 GMT -5
There are more people than not wanting to get back onto the fields and having these girls play. I'm one of them but let's be realistic here. We are being selfish. If we have to bring lysol wipes and wipe everything down, and we all have to wear masks and PPE, and we cannot tag, and we cannot handshake, and umpires have to stand behind the fence, and, and, and. If we have to do ALL that, then it is not safe to be out there. It's painful but it's the reality. Who will constantly sanitize bathrooms after every use, who will run the snack bars and yet stand 6 ft apart, who will get to stand the closest to the diamond to watch their daughter play? The list goes on and on. Again, if we are thinking this, then it's not safe! Can you imagine having players wear masks, underneath their helmet on a hot summer day! Girls want to play, I get that, but as adults, I think we need to be the more responsible ones and come to terms that this just isn't safe for everyone. At least not now or in the foreseeable future - exhibition, league, or championship games. I get what you are saying but its been well documented that some of the things you are seeing now could very well become part of our everyday life from now on. |
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dame6
Junior Team Member
Posts: 41
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Post by dame6 on Apr 29, 2020 9:49:41 GMT -5
Agreed, however, this is still very fresh and each day still, new things are being learned. This will be the new norm after we have the current situation under control and until a vaccine is found. I just don't think we are there yet. Don't get me wrong...I wish we can get out there today, but I don't think we are ready nor should we experiment with non-foolproof options.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2020 10:02:09 GMT -5
Nailed it. The vaccine is the most important thing said. This ‘new normal’ that everyone thinks is forever, it’s temporary until we’re vaccinated.
But no one has answered my third question. What happens if/when someone develops symptoms?
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dame6
Junior Team Member
Posts: 41
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Post by dame6 on Apr 29, 2020 10:13:51 GMT -5
Then we have a real bad situation on our hands.....contact tracing will be virtually impossible. With people coming and going, some who may not be parents but people walking thru parks taking in a girls softball game, how will you possibly pinpoint the source of contact unless it is within the household. Everything shuts down, because it WOULD have to, everyone will be on pins and needles waiting for the 14 days to go by and hope to god they don't develop symptoms, and we are back to square one.
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Post by inthestands on Apr 29, 2020 11:57:50 GMT -5
In discussions with others I doubt any major centers will open. Come the end of June/1st of July and parks still closed with virtually no maintenance done by Cities its questionable they'll see the logic in the expense in opening them.
Sadly, major centers may not see their parks available. That said, look to smaller communities with more flexibility to open theirs. It could well be that the smaller centers will be the ones that help save some semblance of a season.
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Post by bucketdad on Apr 29, 2020 14:28:00 GMT -5
Agreed, however, this is still very fresh and each day still, new things are being learned. This will be the new norm after we have the current situation under control and until a vaccine is found. I just don't think we are there yet. Don't get me wrong...I wish we can get out there today, but I don't think we are ready nor should we experiment with non-foolproof options.
We will likely have issues in that some municipalities have jumped way ahead with park closures well into the summer. The rural locations, as is usually the case, will be more willing to accommodate and work with those associations to try and make something work. We will likely also have some issues as not all parents are going to be comfortable allowing their child to play given the current circumstances. |
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Post by ballfan on Apr 29, 2020 15:07:04 GMT -5
Here are a few suggestions that a USSSA tournament director mentioned as possible for his tournaments
• Attendance limits likely(1 parent per player)
• Pre Game Umpire meeting limit of 1 ADULT rep per team
• Dugout limit of 4 players per, other behind dugout or in Bleachers
• Parent sits around the field fencing (proper social distance spacing 6 FT)
• No parent seating behind Home Plate except for players
• An adult in dugout to sanitize shared equipment
• Extra time allotted for bench clearing between games
• No pre / post game contact with other team or umpires. Open high 5 ?
• Bring your own food / drinks
• No Team Water jugs
• Masks worn in public per CDC guidelines
• Umpire placement may be in different places
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Post by fastpitchcoach on Apr 29, 2020 16:54:47 GMT -5
In discussions with others I doubt any major centers will open. Come the end of June/1st of July and parks still closed with virtually no maintenance done by Cities its questionable they'll see the logic in the expense in opening them. Sadly, major centers may not see their parks available. That said, look to smaller communities with more flexibility to open theirs. It could well be that the smaller centers will be the ones that help save some semblance of a season. Mississauga is maintaining their fields. Cutting & fertilizing grass is ongoing. They have pledged that fields will be ready to go July 4, if permitted. |
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Post by Athletics 1 on Apr 29, 2020 17:14:52 GMT -5
No need to speculate until the government announces next steps and we see where sports fall into their plans for returning to 'normal' , and we also hear from SC/PWSA what their plans are. Playing games with some of the restrictions,rule modifications, previously mentioned here, at least at the younger ages wont do much for development/learning. If it's a summer without ball, so be it, small price to pay compared to everyones health and well-being
, just come back in 2021 with renewed energy and optimism!
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Post by granddaddygus on Apr 29, 2020 18:14:01 GMT -5
No need to speculate until the government announces next steps and we see where sports fall into their plans for returning to 'normal' , and we also hear from SC/PWSA what their plans are. Playing games with some of the restrictions,rule modifications, previously mentioned here, at least at the younger ages wont do much for development/learning. If it's a summer without ball, so be it, small price to pay compared to everyones health and well-being , just come back in 2021 with renewed energy and optimism! Sorry but most posts that include the concerns about "development" almost invariably cause my eyes to roll back. How exactly is sitting a year out preferable from a development standpoint than playing some games in a modified format? How is sitting out preferable to getting a 100 at bats in a modified season? Girls that have been throwing bullpen all winter won't develop more from getting 40-50 innings of live play to go with it? Let's also not forget that for the '01 class this is their last year of minor ball, for the '02 class they have lost prom/grad/senior week, the '06 class lost all the grade 8 events. If we can we need to give these kids the most we are able. Yes we need to follow health guidelines and no one is suggesting doing anything outside of what the province of PWSA advises but it seems we have some folks that think we need to throw in the towel even when given a glimmer of hope. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2020 19:34:34 GMT -5
No need to speculate until the government announces next steps and we see where sports fall into their plans for returning to 'normal' , and we also hear from SC/PWSA what their plans are. Playing games with some of the restrictions,rule modifications, previously mentioned here, at least at the younger ages wont do much for development/learning. If it's a summer without ball, so be it, small price to pay compared to everyones health and well-being , just come back in 2021 with renewed energy and optimism! Sorry but most posts that include the concerns about "development" almost invariably cause my eyes to roll back. How exactly is sitting a year out preferable from a development standpoint than playing some games in a modified format? How is sitting out preferable to getting a 100 at bats in a modified season? Girls that have been throwing bullpen all winter won't develop more from getting 40-50 innings of live play to go with it? Let's also not forget that for the '01 class this is their last year of minor ball, for the '02 class they have lost prom/grad/senior week, the '06 class lost all the grade 8 events. If we can we need to give these kids the most we are able. Yes we need to follow health guidelines and no one is suggesting doing anything outside of what the province of PWSA advises but it seems we have some folks that think we need to throw in the towel even when given a glimmer of hope. Couple points. I feel you’re reading this message the wrong way. Although I agree with you that you can’t replicate live at bats, thundercoach specifically said the younger groups. Which to me, means U12 and lower. There’s a lot of first year players playing in those age groups. Remember, those 2 age groups are going through rule changes as it is. So you may not see a whole lot of strikes thrown in U10 to begin with. Now, you want to try and teach a first year player to run to a line rather than a base, then try to explain to them ‘when in reality you’d want to take this angle, but we’re going over here just for this year’. Not sure when the last time you were around u10 softball, but some of those kids take things so literal, that however you teach the first time, it’s stuck in their heads. So it’s not the worst thing, especially for the pitchers at that age, to build up their arms and get the ball to the plate. Second point. I understand the 01’s being disappointed. But I know girls on 4 different 02 teams that say they want things to be lifted, not to play ball, but to see what it’s like to have a summer that they’ve never had before. Since they were 8, they’ve never been to cottages or anything like that. And the 06’s? I’m not sure how disappointed they are without a grade 8 grad. So as much as you assume girls feel one way about things, there’s another group that feel the complete opposite. Just a heads up for next time you try and generalize, there’s 2 sides. No one has said anything about doing things outside the guidelines. What we are trying to figure out is if the risk is worth the reward. Is playing league play for 4 weeks with a chance of no provincials, since there may be no tourneys, worth it? Stay safe |
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dcubed
Rookie Team Member
Posts: 10
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Post by dcubed on Apr 29, 2020 22:22:27 GMT -5
As of April 29th, nearly 16000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been reported in Ontario, less than 10% occurring in Northern Ontario. We believe that this number is an underestimate of the number of true cases, including those non-symptomatic carriers, or symptomatic persons who have not been tested and counted. That means at least 15000 confirmed cases that we know of occur in Southern Ontario, the bulk of which are found in the major urban centres.
Southern Ontario is approximately 130000 sq. km. in size, and is considered the home to almost all of our Tier 1 and Tier 2 fastpitch teams, most of them based in urban centres. Those are the places where most of our tournaments have been. These places are where many of our tournaments have been cancelled, and, for good reason.
Crunching the approximate numbers, this means there has been at least ONE confirmed case that we know of exists every 8.7 square kilometres. Rounding that yields one case every 9 square kilometres.
That is a 3x3 square kilometre area, 9 sq. km. To be at the centre of this 3x3 square, you only need to drive about 1.5 kilometres in any direction and, on average, encounter a confirmed case.
And this is an UNDERESTIMATE.
Drive 1.5 kilometres. Let your daughter out of the car. Tell her to play ball. Tell her she is safe. Tell her that she might not get sick, the opponents are healthy, she might not contract a virus that gets passed on to her parents once home, not pass it on to her grandparents, uncles, aunts, brothers or sisters. Convince her she is safe, and what she is doing is, well, justified…because your need to see her play ball outweighs her safety.
To opine that “rural areas might let us play” is amoral. There, I’ve said it. Not immoral, not moral.
Amoral. Neither good or bad morality, just amoral without justification. It is a selfish, unthinking, desire that is used to drive the decision in the direction “you” want.
And it’s cruel. No “thinking” neighbourhood would welcome your asymptomatic case, or your as-yet not confirmed case, with a horrible virus. You wouldn’t want it in your home, or neighbourhood, so why contemplate having it in someone elses?
Please stop. Wait for PWSA, and government officials, to decide when it is safe for our girls, our selves, and for our families and neighbours.
The season may "be done". Or not. Either way, I'm waiting for the all-clear before putting my daughter, my family, or my community at risk.
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Post by justamom73 on Apr 30, 2020 6:30:29 GMT -5
Oh good grief. No one has suggested that anyone go out and play prior to getting the go ahead from the province and from PWSA. To hop up on our soap boxes and start sermonizing about morality is utter self righteous nonsense. Please Stop.
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Post by softballfan5 on Apr 30, 2020 8:55:01 GMT -5
Lots of medical experts on here. Can we get back to discussing softball  ) |
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Post by coachdavid on Apr 30, 2020 11:59:24 GMT -5
As a parent, we all want what’s best for our kids. The fact that our children play an organized sport at a high level, shows we care enough for them to provide them an opportunity to do something they enjoy, let alone all the time and money we put into this sport for them. No one is stating they would jeopardize their children’s safety, just to watch them play ball. That would be insane to insinuate such a thing.
Everyone knows that we are discussing our options when the province and PWSA lift restrictions. If they think it’s safe to resume certain activities with restrictions and modifications on how we do things, then I’m personally OK with it. The province has done an amazing job so far to keep us safe.
Other families may have different situations with family members or loved ones who may be at high risk or have underlying conditions. Then that’s something that family has to consider whether it’s worth coming back to the diamond at that point in time.
No one really knows what’s going to happen. It’s changing day by day. We can all speculate this and that. At the end of the day, we have no control over the situation. We are all grown-ass adults here who have something in common – Softball. We all want our lives to get back to normal, we all want to see our kids back on the diamond. Instead of voicing your opinions on the reasons why we shouldn’t start playing ball. Let’s work together to try and find a way to start playing ball, where we can all feel comfortable doing so.
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Post by fastpitchcoach on Apr 30, 2020 12:04:45 GMT -5
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Post by jyrm55 on Apr 30, 2020 13:40:07 GMT -5
That was posted almost 24 hours ago and Softball BC hasn't posted on their website or Twitter to confirm. BC Recreation and Sports Association is a non-profit organization, not a government ministry, so until Softball BC or the provincial gov't on the west coast announce the same, I'm going to believe it may not be true (at this point in time)... |
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Post by fastpitchcoach on Apr 30, 2020 14:41:51 GMT -5
That was posted almost 24 hours ago and Softball BC hasn't posted on their website or Twitter to confirm. BC Recreation and Sports Association is a non-profit organization, not a government ministry, so until Softball BC or the provincial gov't on the west coast announce the same, I'm going to believe it may not be true (at this point in time)... Hope you are right...... |
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angel5
Junior Team Member
Posts: 32 
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Post by angel5 on Apr 30, 2020 16:36:52 GMT -5
dcubed should stay inside where it's safe.
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Post by tripleplay on Apr 30, 2020 23:09:55 GMT -5
As of April 29th, nearly 16000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been reported in Ontario, less than 10% occurring in Northern Ontario. We believe that this number is an underestimate of the number of true cases, including those non-symptomatic carriers, or symptomatic persons who have not been tested and counted. That means at least 15000 confirmed cases that we know of occur in Southern Ontario, the bulk of which are found in the major urban centres. Southern Ontario is approximately 130000 sq. km. in size, and is considered the home to almost all of our Tier 1 and Tier 2 fastpitch teams, most of them based in urban centres. Those are the places where most of our tournaments have been. These places are where many of our tournaments have been cancelled, and, for good reason. Crunching the approximate numbers, this means there has been at least ONE confirmed case that we know of exists every 8.7 square kilometres. Rounding that yields one case every 9 square kilometres. That is a 3x3 square kilometre area, 9 sq. km. To be at the centre of this 3x3 square, you only need to drive about 1.5 kilometres in any direction and, on average, encounter a confirmed case. And this is an UNDERESTIMATE. Drive 1.5 kilometres. Let your daughter out of the car. Tell her to play ball. Tell her she is safe. Tell her that she might not get sick, the opponents are healthy, she might not contract a virus that gets passed on to her parents once home, not pass it on to her grandparents, uncles, aunts, brothers or sisters. Convince her she is safe, and what she is doing is, well, justified…because your need to see her play ball outweighs her safety. To opine that “rural areas might let us play” is amoral. There, I’ve said it. Not immoral, not moral. Amoral. Neither good or bad morality, just amoral without justification. It is a selfish, unthinking, desire that is used to drive the decision in the direction “you” want. And it’s cruel. No “thinking” neighbourhood would welcome your asymptomatic case, or your as-yet not confirmed case, with a horrible virus. You wouldn’t want it in your home, or neighbourhood, so why contemplate having it in someone elses? Please stop. Wait for PWSA, and government officials, to decide when it is safe for our girls, our selves, and for our families and neighbours. The season may "be done". Or not. Either way, I'm waiting for the all-clear before putting my daughter, my family, or my community at risk. To add to your stats... As of Apr 29 - Active cases - there were 2,614 residents, 1,430 staff in long term care homes with active cases. There have been 835 resident deaths in LTC homes. There are currently outbreaks in 163 long term care facilities and 55 hospitals. You get the idea where most of the cases/risks are coming from. Obviously major changes needed to ensure safety of all participants when the season begins. Hoping for some sort of safe season this year. |
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Post by Coach Joe on May 1, 2020 10:58:26 GMT -5
Ok we know that many coaches and parents want to have some sort of ball this year. Is this because they want to get back outdoors and feel some sort of normalcy? Or do we believe the players really need this for their well being? Perhaps both? Here is a scenario that will most likely play out if we return with many safeguards implemented. Force plays only, safety line at home plate, wear masks, have players sit in dugouts, bleachers and bullpens. Now consider this from a player's (young girl, let's say under the age of 14) perspective. Ball gets hit near a base where there is an opposing player close by or a opposing player closing in. For the sake of physical distancing, the defensive player backs off. Maybe the offensive player slows down or stops. The point I am making is, how comfortable will some of the players be, playing the game under these conditions. We all say to players, have fun, be confident. But will the confidence be there if they have worries about getting to close to other players including their teammates? How will a batter feel being that close to a catcher or vice versa. Introducing many modifications, even short term, for the sake of getting some ball in, will have physiological implications let alone potentially develop some bad habits. Am I against getting back on the field this year? No. But I would like to think that if we do, we keep the girls first and foremost well being in mind both physically and mentally.
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Post by tripleplay on May 1, 2020 11:59:21 GMT -5
The outdoor setting of baseball and softball would allow for modifications for safety purposes more so than nearly all other sports... Yes, I agree, rule changes may be frustrating to some and there may be some initial confusion by all participants. If conditions trend positive, I believe having a safe environment could be achievable if there are some modifications/precautions implemented. How can you adjust the rules to social distance in soccer, basketball, football, hockey, ringette, volleyball etc..Are there greater risks involved in those sports? Maybe for softball one of the modifications (amongst many) could be a batter puts on their helmet and protective mask to bat? Will that make a difference? Who knows..Let's see what the experts say and recommend in the near future, then we can make informed decisions. Hoping for the best.
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east
Rookie Team Member
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Post by east on May 3, 2020 10:29:32 GMT -5
Quebec tournament - Rebelles
Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic that is still ongoing and with the government’s recommendations about social distancing with still not authorizing public gatherings, the Quebec Rebelles organization along with the tournament co-director Aryane Desy and myself, are very sad to announce that we have no other alternative but to cancel both of our tournaments for this year that were scheduled on the week ends of June 26 – 28 and July 3 – 5, 2020.
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Post by letsplayball on May 5, 2020 16:03:38 GMT -5
Let's hope that when the PWSA does get together to make the decisions on our behalf that cooler heads will prevail, and people like dcubed just stay home. There is more than enough paranoia, misinformation, and fear-mongering out there, without the ill-informed masses touting expertise that they do not possess. It's unfortunate that the super-conservatives seem to be leading the charge and fomenting fear of the virus, and our society seems to capitulate and let the fear eclipse reason... Making suggestions that there should be no tag plays, or that catchers need to be six feet back from the batters is beyond ridiculous! Safety is one thing. The paranoia is something else altogether... If we can go into Costco with dozens of other people and have a free-for-all on the produce, then it's safe for a bunch of girls to be together on an outdoor diamond and occasionally tag each other with a gloved hand! Let's have some reason and dispense with the fear-mongering.
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Post by Forum Admin on May 8, 2020 19:34:04 GMT -5
Please see the above post in Announcements.
We are going to remove the post until all town halls have been completed.
It’s also important to only post accurate info.
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