Due to the pandemic, Midway Girls Softball made the decision not to cancel our Spring REC season but to shift our season from the Spring to Fall, still giving girls who wanted to play softball the opportunity to play.  This is not a normal season and we have had to make many adjustments.  We THANK YOU for your patience and you’re continued support.  In addition, the State of Delaware has made the following recommended changes to the COVID19 guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID19. We at Midway Girls Softball wanted to make you aware of the recommendations so that our girls can continue to play in the safest manner.

Softball falls under the ‘Medium risk factor’ and therefore we have listed out the below guideline modifications and additions.

“Medium risk” means activities that involve participants in close proximity, and typically involve intermittent personal contact. Examples include baseball, softball, field hockey, girls’/women’s lacrosse, soccer, flag or 7-on-7 football, team running, running clubs and track and field, team swimming, rowing (other than with household members), sailing, volleyball, dance class, fencing, and gymnastics.

FACE COVERINGS

Athletes playing medium and low risk sports may remove their face covering when active on a field of play but must wear it at all other times.

Coaches and all staff must wear a face covering at all times. This includes when addressing players or officials on or off the field, when coaching during the game, and during practices, trainings and team meetings.

Referees and officials must wear a face covering at all times. Traditional whistles must be replaced with a device that can be used for attention without removing the face covering.

 Spectators and others must wear a face covering at all times while indoors. Spectators and others must also wear a face covering at all times while outdoors, unless seated and socially distanced, at least six (6) feet apart from others outside their household.

 Coaches, staff and referees who have a medical condition that makes it hard to breathe or a disability that prevents the individual from wearing a face covering can request a reasonable accommodation from their employer or the individual responsible for the athletic event.

 SOCIAL DISTANCING.

1. Players must be at least six (6) feet apart from one another at all times, except during on-field play in game-time situations.
2. Dugouts, benches and other limited or enclosed gathering spaces must not be used unless six (6) feet of distancing can be maintained.
3. Players and coaches must be at least six (6) feet apart from one another at all times unless they are from the same household.

Players must be provided adequate space for belongings, water bottles and equipment to ensure six (6) feet of distancing when accessing gear.

 HAND WASHING, SANITIZING, CLEANING AND DISINFECTING.

Players, staff, coaches, officials and all participants in sports must wash hands or sanitize hands, per CDC and DPH guidelines, before and after practice and games. Washing or sanitizing during games and practices with shared equipment or facilities is strongly encouraged, especially when balls or equipment are touched by more than one person.

Hand sanitizer or hand washing stations must be readily available for all players, staff, coaches, officials, spectators and all participants throughout the business location, including at each entry and exit. Hand sanitizer must be composed of at least sixty percent (60%) ethanol or seventy percent (70%) isopropanol.

Facilities must be cleaned at least once per day (or between uses if not used daily). High contact surfaces, including but not limited to doorknobs, light switches, and railings, must be cleaned every fifteen (15) minutes to two (2) hours. EPA List 6 approved disinfectant must be used for frequently touched surfaces.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.

1. All facilities, organizers and leagues, must identify a safety and hygiene manager for each team, who is responsible for coordinating and enforcing COVID-19 protocols. All coaches, staff, officials and families should know who this person is and how to contact them. Any plans submitted to DPH must identify this individual.
2. Coaches, staff, officials, parents and players must be informed and routinely reminded of team infection control measures and COVID-19 protocols – especially around face coverings and social distancing.
3. Coaches, staff, officials, parents and players must be informed about the expectation to stay home when sick, to contact the team safety and hygiene manager if they test positive for COVID-19, and to inform DPH about possible exposures.
4. A health self-assessment must be completed by each athlete, coach and staff prior to engaging in any athletic activity in a facility, organization or league.
5. Each athlete shall have only one person accompany them to practices or games. That person shall wear a face covering as required in Paragraph D., above, and be at least six (6) feet apart from others unless waiting in their car.
6. Teams and leagues must have written arrival and departure procedures that, at a minimum address:
1. Staggered arrival/departure to reduce mixing of groups;
2. A procedure for health assessment for all athletes, coaches and staff; and
3. A protocol to address a person who develops symptoms during activity.

1. Sports organizations and facilities must post extensive signage instructing staff, participants and spectators about required face coverings and maintaining six (6) feet of distance from others. Printable signs that will help you comply with signage requirements are available at de.gov/playsafelysign.

RISK-BASED REQUIREMENTS

For medium risk activities, the following are required at all times:

 Staggered starts must be used for sports like running that typically involve group starts.

 Activities must be conducted outside unless approved by DPH.

 Shared equipment must be disinfected between users.

 For medium risk activities, shorter practice times or smaller groups shall be used to reduce contact time between participants.

SCHEDULE A: GENERAL GUIDANCE

• Athletes, coaches, staff and spectators considered at high risk for COVID-19 complications should continue to stay at home and are encouraged to obtain medical clearance for participation.
• For low and medium risk activities, team groups should be limited to fifteen (15) players, plus staff. Team groups should be stable from day to day and mixing with other groups should be limited.
• Discourage the shared use of materials. If sharing is unavoidable, materials must be cleaned between users or as often as possible (g., quarterly for basketball)