Island Baseball League: COVID-19 Guidelines

The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting every single one of us. This is a challenging time for people and businesses around the globe. While many of us are feeling uncertainty in our lives, we have all the confidence that we’ll rise up to the challenges this crisis presents and come out stronger on the other side.

The well-being, health, and safety of players and families remains our top priority. We are doing everything we can to assess the current situation and make the best available decision for our league. We understand that every players situation is different. We may have some players who have recently become unemployed or who have family members that are at a greater risk to COVID. We are taking all of that into consideration, that is why we are putting this season into the players hands. While baseball is important to all of us, the livelihood, safety, and well-being of our families and players is far greater.

These guidelines are temporary and may be amended during the course of the season by RIDOH and CDC. Participants should understand that even with these guidelines, no activity is 100% safe.

Keeping Participants Socially Distanced

1. Umpires will be back behind the plate calling balls and strikes.
2. All participants should maintain a 6-foot social distancing to the extent possible exposure. This includes batting cages, pre-game warm-ups and pregame umpire/manager rules reviews.
3. Dugouts to be open to only the next three hitters in the offensive line up or up to three players during defense. Where possible, all other players will spread six feet out behind the dugouts, down the fence lines, etc.
4. No touch rule. No post game handshakes or high fives (A tip of the cap is suggested to acknowledge the opposing team).
5. When holding a meeting on the mound, all participants need to stay a safe distance from each other.
6. First and third base coaches are reminded to stay at least six feet from other participants.
7. Post-game gatherings at the field and in the parking lots are not allowed until further notice.
8. Where possible, participants are strongly recommended to travel to/from the field alone or with a member of their immediate household.
9. Please do not share equipment such as bats, helmets, catching gear, and drinks. All bottles of water should be clearly marked.
10. No spitting seeds or other similar products.

Sanitizing/Risk Reduction Guidelines
1. Please be diligent in your activities between games and limit exposure to large groups.
2. All players are required to wear facemasks, unless in the field of play. Per Executive Order 20-24.
3. Baseball policy. Players are not permitted to throw the ball around the horn after outs. Both home and away teams provide their own baseballs and do not share them.
4. Whenever possible, equipment and personal items should have proper separation and should not be shared. If equipment must be shared, proper sanitation should be administered between players.
5. Pitchers will NOT be allowed to go to his mouth between pitches. This will constitute an illegal ball and the ball must immediately be replaced by the pitching team.
6. No team water coolers or shared drinks.
7. Participants are encouraged to wash/sanitize their hands before/after each game as well as during the game.

Covid Waiver Form 
1. All players are required to sign an extended liability waiver noting the additional COVID-19 risks.
2. If you are feeling sick please stay home. Any COVID-19 positive players will not be allowed on the field until a doctor’s note is provided showing negative test results.
3. Fans must adhere to six-foot social distancing practices. Bleachers are off limits until further notice.
4. Members are not allowed to play on more than one team/league per sports season. Part of reopening RI guidelines.

Weekly Tests/Traveling
1. Athletes are encouraged to get tested weekly. Rhode Islanders can schedule a free COVID-19 test for themselves on portal.ri.gov regardless of whether they have symptoms or insurance.
2. Any player traveling from a state with current travel restrictions must quarantine for 10 days or provide proof of a negative result from a COVID-19 test taken after arrival or within 72 hours.
3. If you’ve come to Rhode Island from outside the US, you must quarantine for 10 days. If you have a negative result from a test taken at least 5 days after you arrived, you may shorten quarantine to 7 days. As of January 26 the CDC requires all air passengers arriving in the United States from any foreign country to provide a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery. Read more general guidance for residents and visitors from the RIDOH website.
4. Please notify your captain immediately in the event you have been in close contact with anyone COVID-19 or symptoms of COVID-19 in the past 14 days?