Hingham Little League

Best Practices During Coronavirus Pandemic

January 4th, 2021

In accordance with Little League International, CDC, State and Town of Hingham guidance

On-Field Game and Practice Guidance:

• Self-monitoring and Quarantine: All individuals should measure their body temperature to ensure that no fever is present prior to participating or attending each Little League activity. Temperature measurement must be medication free, i.e., no Tylenol. Anyone with symptoms of fever, cough, or worsening respiratory symptoms, or any known exposure to a person with COVID-19 should not attend any Little League activity until cleared by a medical professional.
  • Any manager, coach, volunteer, umpire, player or fan that is observed showing symptoms of COVID-19 as defined by the CDC will be asked to immediately leave the field.
• Parent/Guardian/Caretaker attendance: All players must have a parent, guardian or caretaker in attendance for the duration of games or practices.
• Personal Protective Equipment: All managers, coaches, volunteers, umpires and fans should wear face covering while on athletic field grounds when they are not able to remain six feet apart from individuals not residing within their household.
  • Players are not required to wear face coverings on the field of play but must wear them when returning to the bench between innings.
  • Each coach and player should have a personal supply of anti-bacterial gel or wipes and use them frequently during games or practices.
• No handshakes, high-fives or personal contact celebrations: Players, coaches, volunteers, umpires and fans should refrain from any contact and remain 6 feet apart other than during essential contact necessary to play the game.
• Player Equipment: Players must have their own PPE mask, bat, helmet, glove and catcher’s equipment. No sharing of equipment will be allowed unless properly disinfected before use.
• Dugouts/Bench: Each player will be assigned a designated spot at least 6 feet apart behind a fence to store gear or while waiting their turn to bat.

• A designated spot will be marked for the on-deck batter

• Spitting, Sunflower Seeds, Gum and sharing of drinks are prohibited on athletic field
  • Drinks must be clearly labeled and kept in players bags or with parents, guardians or caretakers.
• Baseballs: Each team will supply defensive team balls and will disinfect them every 2 innings. Each team will be issued a misting spray bottle containing Bioesque Botanical Solutions an EPA approved NSF certified disinfectant provided by Purifly Inc.
  • Umpires should limit their contact with the ball, and catchers should retrieve foul balls and passed balls where possible.
  • Balls used in infield/outfield warm-up should be isolated from a shared ball container.
• Fieldhouse at Lynch and Porta Potties at other fields will not be in use during HLL games or practices

Game and Practice Operations and Umpire Guidance

• Players and Coaches should not arrive more than 30min before game time
• All players, fans and coaches should leave within 20min of game ending
• Avoid pregame plate meetings
• Umpires should stand at least 6 feet behind the pitcher’s mound
• Umpires should limit handling of baseballs
• Practices will be a maximum of 90min. Dibs (HLL practice scheduling system) will block fields for 120min to allow teams a 15min window to arrive and leave fields.

Clean and Disinfect Shared Equipment, Surfaces and Baseball

Each HLL team will be issued a misting spray bottle containing Bioesque Botanical Solutions an EPA approved NSF certified disinfectant. The solution should be used to disinfect baseballs, team equipment and common areas on the baseball field including dugout benches, vertical posts adjacent to entry and exit to dugout and field (areas people might touch).

General Use Checklist - Misting Bottle Application