HTV Little League

As Huntington Tri-Village begins another season of baseball and softball, our top priority will be the health and safety of our players, volunteers, and families. The procedures and guidelines below are to be followed at both games and practices at the HTV Little League fields. We strive to minimize risk while still allowing for fun and exercise.

All parents/guardians should fully review this document. In addition, parents should review this with their children to help them understand it to the extent they are able. Managers will also review guidelines with their teams as appropriate depending on age. It will be important that coaches help kids during practices and games to remind them of the processes and procedures.

General Guidelines

·      All state and local rules must be followed.

·      Players, coaches, and spectators are not required to wear a mask but are allowed to wear one.

·      Coaches and players should wash or sanitize hands both before and after game or practice.

·      Only players and coaches are allowed on the field or to enter the player area. This include before and after games and practices

Player Guidelines

·      No high fives, first bumps, hugs, or other contact. 

·      No chewing gum, sunflowers seeds, or spitting.

·      All players should use their own equipment, or equipment provided for their use only at a game or practice. 

·      Players should have their own batting helmet.

·      Label all equipment, particularly water bottles.

·      Parents may want to disinfect their children's personal equipment in between games with a product of their choice.

Coach Guidelines

·      Coaches will have primary responsibility for helping the players follow these guidelines.

·      Any post game meetings should take place on the field. They should be brief. Teams should then leave the park immediately. 

Spectator Guidelines

·      Any spectator or attendee experiencing symptoms of sickness should not attend any event at HTV LL. 

·      Areas that allow entry and exit from the fields, such as from the entrance at Heid  towards third base, should be keep clear to allow spectators, players, and personal to pass.

·      Unless using the restroom or going to the concession stand, spectators should remain at the field in which their family member is playing.

·      During games parents must not approach the dugout, bleachers, fields or wherever your child is located. Please ensure your player has everything he/she needs prior to the game or practice. 

·      Please do not call players involved in a game over to your seats and avoid interacting with them during games. This distracts players from the game, and puts an additional burden on the volunteers in keeping track of their players while also coaching the game. Players and spectators should remain distanced during the games for the protection of everyone present. 

Illness

·      We ask that all players, and those attending activities at the complex, self-certify that they are in good health prior to arriving at the fields. 

·      Any player or coach that has been confirmed to be ill with covid-19 will not be permitted at team events until cleared by a medical professional.

·      If someone in a team member’s household has been confirmed to have covid-19, both the individual and the team member must avoid all team activities until the ill individual has been cleared by a medical professional.

·      Any player, coach, or spectator who is displaying COVID-19 symptoms will not be permitted at team events until either 14 days have passed and their symptoms have cleared up, or a medical professional has confirmed the symptoms are unrelated to COVID-19. A list of symptoms is available here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html

·      If a player, coach, or spectator comes in contact with someone who is diagnosed with COVID-19 they will not be permitted to return for 14 days from the last contact with that person.

·      If any of the above situations take place an e-mail should immediately be sent to [email protected]. We fully empathize with and recognize our communities need and rights for privacy regarding their health and the health of our families. However, due to the risks posed by the transmission of this illness, we will be informing teams of potential exposure. We will not share the name, or personal information, but simply inform the team and parents of the situation so they can monitor their own symptoms. 

·      HTV Little League will work with the Suffolk County Health Department to ensure proper protocol is followed. 

Practices

·      All parents/players should remain in their cars until the previous practice, if any, is finished and crowds have cleared out. Coaches should prepare to take the field.

·      Only players and coaches should enter the field.

·      Players do not have to wear masks while practicing, but may if they want.

Games

·      Please keep in mind that we will be focusing on the kids having fun and enjoying the game of baseball in a safe environment, and not wins and losses.

·      Only players, coaches, umpires, and HTV crew members are allowed on the field or may approach the player’s areas, before, after, or during games. Parents should ensure their player has everything he/she needs prior to the game.

·      No pre-game warm-ups will take place on the infield. The home team will warm up in right field and the away team will warm up in left field.

·      During the game, players will be either on the field, or in the dugouts.

·      End of game handshakes will be eliminated. Instead, to show good sportsmanship, teams can tip their caps from the other side of the field to the other team. 

·      There will be no shared drinks or food. 

·      Teams should not share any post game snacks or drinks.

·      There will be a strict time limit for all games, varying by division. If a game ends in the middle of an inning and the home team is winning, they will be declared the winner. If a game ends in the middle of an inning and the visiting team is winning, the final score will revert back to the previous inning.

HTV Complex Guidelines

·      Only one person or family group should be in a restroom at one time.

·      State and local food service guidelines will be followed at concession stand.

·      Employee will be screened every day. State and local health departments will be informed of any positive employee tests.

·      Staff will undergo a daily mandatory health screening assessment.

·      There will be a site safety monitor whose responsibilities include continuous compliance with all aspects of the site safety plan. 

Little League Coronavirus FAQ can be found HERE

Little League Coronavirus updates can be found HERE

NY State guidelines can be found https://forward.ny.gov