COVID-19 Guidelines
Seal Beach PONY Baseball COVID-19 Guidelines
COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. Following local, state, and federal guidelines, Seal Beach PONY Baseball (“Seal Beach PONY”) made the choice to delay play until local, state, and federal guidance supported a phased, controlled approach to returning to normal activities. As of February 16, 2021, Seal Beach PONY is working to return to play using adaptations and modifications designed to protect the health and safety of our players, coaches, and families to the fullest extent practicable. Specifically, Seal Beach PONY has developed the following guidelines for resuming play:
- All participants are encouraged to follow, to the fullest extent practicable, all school district, local, state, and federal guidelines regarding COVID-19 transmission mitigation during our modified season.
- Prior to re-initiating practices and games, parents/legal guardians will be asked to sign a waiver pertaining to the potential risks associated with COVID-19.
- All adult-age spectators are strongly encouraged to wear masks/face coverings at all times during practices and games. Players will NOT be required to wear masks/face coverings during practices or games.
- Coaches and Team Parents are encouraged to wear masks/face coverings as much as practicable during practices and games.
- Seal Beach PONY will provide sanitation stations near each field and the Snack Shack.
- Coaches will be provided with an infrared thermometer to check each player’s temperature prior to games and practices. It is encouraged that, to the extent practicable, players’ temperatures be checked in the presence of a second adult, preferably the parent/legal guardian of the player. Any player with a temperature exceeding an identified threshold will not be permitted to play.
- Any player who has been diagnosed with or who has experienced symptoms of COVID-19, or who has been in close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with or who has experienced symptoms of COVID-19, within 14 days prior to any practice or game will not be permitted to play. Current symptoms of COVID-19, as defined by the CDC include, but are not limited to:
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- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
- All spectators are encouraged to practice social distancing and avoid congregating during games or practices. This includes spreading out along the foul lines. Seal Beach PONY encourages limiting spectators to 2 adults per player and encourages any individual considered “high risk” to not attend any game or practice.
- In an effort to limit player contact in the dugout, all bleachers will be closed to spectators during games, and will be used to stage players on the batting team.
- In addition to the league-provided sanitation stations, parents/legal guardians are encouraged to supply their players with individual hand sanitizer for periodic hand sanitizing during practices and games.
- Teams are to clean their dugout of all trash and other items after each game. This includes disinfecting hard surfaces in and around the dugout and on the bleachers after each game.
- Hard surfaces in and around the Snack Shack will be periodically disinfected. All individuals working in the Snack Shack will be required to wear masks/face coverings and routinely sanitize their hands.
- To the extent practicable, games will be scheduled with time built in between games to minimize unnecessary interaction between teams.
- Player contact will be minimized by eliminating team/player handshakes and team/player high fives. Sportsmanship at the end of games will be displayed by asking players to tip their caps at one another from across the field.
- Teams are encouraged to limit the sharing of equipment including helmets, catchers gear, bats, gloves, etc.