NJYB 2021 COVID-19 General Facility Policies & Procedures
1. NJYB will strive to adhere to all federal, state, and city orders and guidelines relating to COVID-19. NJYB reserves the right to modify these procedures to better adhere to those orders and guidelines and/or as those orders and guidelines evolve.
2. All present at the NJYB facilities must adhere to applicable orders and guidelines and these Policies and Procedures; no individual is invited to the facilities for use that is not consistent with applicable orders and guidelines and these Policies and Procedures.
3. Any individual (player, coach, umpire, spectator, or other) who (a) has been diagnosed with COVID-19, (b) resides with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 in the last 14 days, or (c) who is showing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 is prohibited from NJYB facilities.
4. NJYB will restrict capacity of Lakeland Park fields to 75% in order to facilitate social distancing and other outlined procedures.
5. During practices and games, individuals and teams who are not participating in the practice/game are prohibited from using any of the open fields or batting cages.
6. Except as may be momentarily required for actual participation within practice and game play, social distancing must be practiced by everyone present at the facility. NJYB will measure and mark spectator locations outside of restroom and concession areas at 6’ intervals to facilitate social distancing.
7. During team practices, players may be accompanied by 1 family member/legal guardian such that the player-to-spectator ratio remains no more than 1:1.
8. During games, players may be accompanied by family members/guardians such that the total number of game participants and spectators does not exceed outdoor gathering restrictions. It is presently suggested that a 3:1 player-to-spectator ratio be maintained, with that ratio increasing if and as restrictions may be relaxed during the season.
9. NJYB will thoroughly clean the restrooms before and after each day’s games. NJYB will also provide an attendant who will monitor and regularly clean the restrooms during games. The restrooms will be stocked with soap, hand sanitizer, paper towels, toilet tissue and all other necessary supplies. Restroom-cleaning workers will be required to wear face coverings and gloves at all times of cleaning. Once regular season play begins, NJYB restrooms will not be open outside of the regular game schedule.
10. NJYB will utilize anti-bacterial wipes to wipe down commonly hand-touched areas/surfaces before and after each day’s games.
11. NJYB will station hand sanitizer at locations throughout the facilities for use by players, coaches, umpires, and spectators (including in-game or in-practice use). Families are also encouraged to supply their players with their own personal sanitizing gels and/or wipes.
12. Concession workers will be required to wear face coverings and gloves during service hours.
NJYB 2021 COVID-19 Field-of-Play Procedures for Games and Practices
1. Players, coaches, umpires, and spectators will adhere to the NJYB COVID-19 General Facility Policies & Procedures during games and practices.
2. During practices, only players and coaches (at most 3) may enter the field. Others are only to enter fields in cases of emergencies.
3. During games, only players, coaches (at most 6), and 2 umpires may enter the field. Others are only to enter fields in cases of emergencies. Spectators are encouraged to bring their own chairs to better ensure social distancing. Spectators wearing face coverings may utilize bleachers.
4. No more than 1 player and 1 coach may enter a batting cage at a time.
5. Dugouts may be used during game play, with teams encouraged to maximize physical distancing between players and to require each player to wear face coverings when his/her team is on offense and the player is not batting or on deck to bat.
6. Coaches and umpires must wear face coverings. Players may (but are not required to) wear face coverings during active game play, so long as their use does not compromise other participants’ safety, and are encouraged to wear them in dugouts as noted above.
7. Coaches and umpires shall take care to maintain positions which focus on maintaining physical distance while ensuring safe and fair game play. Only head coaches may conference with umpires (with conferences kept to a minimum) and other coach communications/interactions with umpires shall only be at the appropriate distance.
8. Coaches should take care to only communicate/interact with players at an appropriate distance and there should be no close “team huddles.”
9. Players may not share helmets, gloves, or catchers gear during practices and games. Team catchers gear must be sanitized before and after practices and games.
10. At the end of each game, sportsmanship will be displayed as teams line up on the 1st and 3rd base lines and exchange tips of the cap (not handshakes or high fives).
11. Team/community coolers are prohibited. Players are only permitted to drink from their own personal coolers, jugs, bottles, etc.
12. When arriving, teams are encouraged to sanitize their bleachers and equipment as coaches and families deem appropriate.
13. At the conclusion of each practice or game, teams and spectators are expected to clean behind themselves and promptly depart the field and NJYB.