Coaches,

By now, you should have gone over the basic checklist to play. Every parent should have received the UGSA letter circulated last week to ensure they are comfortable playing under our guidelines, know the risks involved, and are aware they can stop participating at any time. Each town should have signed off on your participation as well as your ability to host games. Each coach should have a plan in place on how to enforce the new guidelines in place.

There will be no rescheduling as we are limited in manpower as it is. It is your job to confirm your schedule that is included (attached) in this email. If you see a mistake, point it out. I suggest doing this at the beginning of every week as well. If there is a mistake there, the umpire will not arrive. The home team will have to pay $50 to compensate an umpire that is sent to the wrong time or location.

There were plenty of discrepancies. I went with the home team location. If it is different than what you have, confirm with the home coach before changing with me. The schedule will lock on June 28. That is when I begin scheduling umpires.

How to report a mistake: Email me with this information in this specific format, I am handling over 60 teams plus my own program. I can not take the time to play detective and figure out your shorthand.

Who should play:

•          The summer season is for those who want to be out there. If anyone is uncomfortable at any time given the current climate, they should have the ability to stop participating immediately.
•          If you think you will be short players for a game, please try to fill in from your own program. We also have a guest list of players that can sub if needed.
•          Roster regulations are relaxed. Please do not take advantage of this or we will eliminate your games from the schedule.
•          At any point that the State or other authorities change their stance in any way regarding game play, the UGSA will likewise make appropriate changes.

Guidelines for safety:

•          Home coaches should make opposing teams aware of any additional guidelines prior to arrival.
•          All Games are 90 minute drop dead time limit, finish the batter.
•          The home head coach is in charge of maintaining all guidelines on and around the field of play. Coaches will sanitize equipment after each game.
•          Each field must adhere to the current social gathering limit
•          All fans must remain 6 feet apart. All non-players are asked to wear a mask.
•          Coaches should have a mask at all times to be worn whenever possible.
•          Any individual with a family member showing any known or suspected symptoms of COVID must not attend. Players should be screened for symptoms including a fever just prior to attending the game.
•          All PLAYERS SHOULD BRING HAND SANITIZER, and sanitize or wash hands each inning
•          No sunflower seeds or spitting or handshakes after the game
•          No sharing of equipment between players from team to team.
•          All home teams should provide 6 game quality balls to be rotated throughout the game.
•          The dugouts and the bleachers are CLOSED. Players will utilize the first and third base fences to set up.
•          Fans must stay at least 20 feet away from the players and may not go behind home plate. Spread out along the outfield to watch.
•          Pre-game rules may be gone over from a socially distant space. All scoresheets should be traded virtually. Take a picture with your phone and text it to the other scorekeeper.

Guidelines for communicating with umpires:

•          Umpires are advised not to touch game balls to minimize contact.
•          Venmo payments should be used whenever possible in lieu of cash. Download this app and set it up now.
•          Umpires will adhere to same pre-game standard of symptom check, including temperature screening prior to getting out of their car.

Rule issues:

•          Teams will play Liberty rules if one team is a Liberty team unless discussed prior to showing up at the fields.
•          90 minute drop dead, finish the inning.
•          Any other changes that are not agreed upon prior to arrival will not be made.

Parents,

I would like to reach out to all the families that are part of the UGSA summer season on behalf of our Board to go over details that the UGSA has implemented so that you are aware and can better understand your role in helping us keep our kids safe and allow them to compete and have fun at the same time.

To allow for more innings to be played without interruption, we have slightly relaxed our rules on roster eligibility and guest players. This is to avoid game cancellations (hurting both teams) in a very short window to play. The Board is confident that we have ensured fair play with the assistance of our coaches.

The UGSA has implemented a basic list of standard safety and sanitary guidelines that each team will be required to follow. This list was compiled with assistance from our insurance carrier, an attorney as well as State guidance. They are as follows:

The umpire will not enforce these rules, but will report back to us if they are not followed.

• All Games are 90 minute drop dead time limit.
• The home head coach is in charge of maintaining all guidelines on and around the field of play. Coaches will sanitize equipment after each game.
• Each field must adhere to the current social gathering limit.
• All fans must remain 6 feet apart. All non-players are asked to wear a mask.
• Coaches should have a mask at all times to be worn when less than 6 feet from anyone.
• Any individual with a family member showing any known or suspected symptoms of COVID must not attend. Players should be screened for symptoms including a fever just prior to attending the game.
• All PLAYERS SHOULD BRING HAND SANITIZER, and sanitize or wash hands each inning.
• No sunflower seeds or spitting or handshakes after the game.
• No sharing of equipment between players from team to team.
• All home teams should provide 6 game quality balls to be rotated throughout the game.
• The dugouts and the bleachers are CLOSED. Players will utilize the first and third base fences to set up. If this is not possible due to field constraints, comparable measures should be taken.
• Fans must stay at least 20 feet away from the players and may not go behind home plate. Spread out along the outfield to watch.
• Pre game rules may be gone over from a socially distant space. All scoresheets should be traded virtually. Take a picture with your phone and text it to the other scorekeeper.

In addition to these mandatory rules, each commissioner was given a list of optional safety precautions as well as the NJ guidelines for getting back onto the field. Each home complex may institute additional rules to be gone over prior to the visiting team arriving. Any potential conflicts regarding these rules should be discussed prior to a team travelling.

I would like to make sure every family has a voice in keeping their child safe, healthy and active. If you have any issues, please reach out to your town commissioner to discuss. If you prefer to reach out to the UGSA directly, please contact me directly via email as all issues will be taken seriously. This is all very new, and not all issues will be malicious. We are all learning on the fly, so we value everyone’s insight.

Andy Dick

UGSA League President

shcyosoftball@gmail.com

Coaches,

Please note that the following local tournaments have been cancelled. We will keep you updated about the June tournaments as we move forward.

Delran May 16-17

McKeever May 30- June 1

Look for an update on the prospects of a UGSA season on May 16th. 

Coaches,

Having moved into May, we want to reassure you that we are still maintaining plans to play this spring/early summer.
Once we are given the appropriate green light from the State, we will immediately release a list (unless we can do so in advance) of necessary and optional safety additions each Complex will need to enact. We will also announce any changes to our normal regulations to assist every town in getting their athletes onto the field. We will also immediately begin game scheduling. Assume that games will start about two weeks (if not sooner) after we are able to hit the practice fields. This will give everyone time to practice, prep and open their fields and work out the kinks.
At this point we are looking at a 6 game regular season that will end in a playoffs at the end of June. This may be a weekend event or a week long off site format. We still have other options if we get pushed back too far, including a handful of onsite all day tournament style days for each division to maximize field space.
We want to be as helpful as possible to each town not just for this season but moving forward. Once things become a little clearer, I would like to try and get a consensus on how late into early summer everyone wants to go and when most towns would want to hold tryouts for the following season. Obviously these are unique times so I hope we can get out information as guidance to each town to use at their discretion.

As always, please email me directly with any questions or ideas.

• The March 16th scheduling meeting will be cancelled. Everyone has until March 16th to get in their app and roster. Please check with other coaches in your program to ensure all are aware. At that point, we will distribute spreadsheets, contact information and make a Google Doc master sheet available for all coaches to schedule virtually. All teams will have until March 25th to follow our guidelines on who to schedule with and how many times.
• We will most likely follow two important guidelines: State recommendations for social gatherings as well as schools opening back up.
• Games will not begin until April 18th. As of now, playoffs will remain June 12-14, so games can run until June 10th. Hopefully this buys us enough time to start and finish a season without interruption.

We will utilize the USA softball approved bat list. The link is below. 8U will still not allow any composite bats at any time.  Any team found in violation knowingly will be fined $50 to be paid before their next game.

https://www.teamusa.org/usa-softball/~/link.aspx?_id=015F4358A30B44368FC142350D112FFF&_z=z

Rule 6A, Section 1C: Both feet must be on the ground within the 24-inch length of the pitcher’s plate. The shoulders shall be in line with first and third bases. The pitcher shall take a position with their pivot foot in contact with the pitcher’s plate and their non-pivot foot in contact with or behind the pitcher’s plate. Comment: Allows female pitchers to start with one or two feet on the pitcher’s plate. This aligns the male and female pitching rule as it relates to foot placement.

Rule 6A, Section 1E: The pitcher shall bring their hands together for not less than one second and not more than 10 seconds before releasing the ball. A backward step may be taken before, simultaneous with or after the hands are brought together. The pivot foot must remain in contact with the pitcher’s plate at all times prior to the forward step. Comment: Allows female pitchers to take a backward step from the pitcher’s plate, before, during or after the hands are brought together. This aligns the male and female pitching rule as it relates to stepping back from the pitcher’s plate.