By L. Parsons The Winslow Little League Board is now enrolling with a safety protocol that will help to mitigate COVID-19 impact during the 2021 season. Parents can register their players online at www.bluesombrero.com/wllaz or by attending one of two upcoming in-person registration events. The first will be from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 3, and the second will be from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 27. All registration events will be held at the Winslow Police Department, located at 708 W. Third St. and will require face coverings be worn and temperatures will be taken. To register, parents must bring a birth certificate for each child that will be playing. The fee per player is $55 with $135 family plan available for three to five players. Winslow Little League President Jimmy Curnutte outlined the new safety measures that will be in effect throughout the season. He also clarified that the Little League organization has not yet given the go ahead to have games, however, practices are permitted. The safety protocols have been put forth by the regional division of Little League. According to Curnutte, some of the protocols were added to better suit Winslow athletes, including the use of bleachers instead of dugouts for athletes and coaches. According to information, participants will be divided into smaller groups, limiting group participation to 15 (not including coaches). Along with smaller teams, the league will also offer training for all league officials and volunteers on the appropriate cleaning, disinfection, hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette according to Center of Disease Control guidelines. The league will be requiring COVID screening at each practice and later, games for each player, coach, umpire and other volunteers. The screening will include a superficial assessment and temperature check. There will also be frequent cleaning and disinfecting of any regularly touched surfaces such as equipment, doorknobs, and restrooms per CDC guidelines. Hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes or soap and water will be readily available anywhere athletes and volunteers will be interacting. Adult volunteers will be required to wear face coverings at all times and players will be given the option to wear them during game play or practice unless in the dugout or bleachers. The dugout is traditionally the place where baseball and softball players sit during their teams at bat. This season, in order to maintain physical distancing, the players will utilize the bleachers surrounding the fields instead. In addition, players will not be allowed to shake hands or participate in personal contact celebrations such as fist bumps or high-fives. In order to keep transmission of COVID-19 at a minimum, players, managers, coaches and umpires will be required to bring their own water to all practices and games and will not be allowed to share. Players will also be designated their own equipment including batting helmets. The league does have plans to provide this equipment if players are unable to purchase their own. Parents of players who may have questions about the upcoming Little League season’s safety protocols can contact board member Michael Magallanes at (928) 421-9406. Curnutte said, “This plan has been established to resume Little League Baseball activities while protecting and supporting our Board members, volunteers, players and spectator’s health. Our kids need to get back on the field.”
