HOWLAND ATHLETIC CLUB

                                                                                                May 22, 2020

Dear HAC Families of registered baseball/softball players for 2020:

With the announcement that baseball and softball can resume May 26^th, we have been working hard to put a plan together to comply with the federal, state and local guidelines. In addition, we have been working with the Howland School District to ensure we meet their requirements because our fields are located on school property. We are still working thru some final hurdles that would allow us to resume our season. However, if we cannot satisfy these items, we may have to cancel our season.

Even if we can get a plan in place to resume the season, the HAC has decided that we cannot offer Tee-Ball this season. We are very sorry but the children at this age require a lot of physical interaction and we do not feel we can meet the guidelines with this group. We will be sending refunds for each child still currently registered for Tee-Ball.

Requirements and guidelines are changing often.  Please note with the latest guideline change by the governor, masks are recommended, but not mandatory. If you are concerned that some people may not be wearing a mask, we suggest you pull your child from the program this season.  Our COVID-19 safety plan will have many recommended and mandatory items that are not normal in a typical baseball/softball season.  If you are not comfortable or able to comply with the items in our safety plan, please request to be withdrawn and a refund of the registration fees minus the orange card fundraiser will be mailed out.  To make that request, please email your child’s complete name and any comments to [email protected]. We will process the refunds as quickly as we can. 

Below is a draft of our COVID-19 Safety Plan. This plan is not final and is subject to change.

1. All people entering the facilities will be required to adhere to the Mandatory items from the Ohio Department of Health’s Responsible Restart Ohio for Baseball, Softball & Batting Cages.https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/static/responsible/Baseball-Softball.pdf Examples of the mandated items include but are not limited to the following:
   1. All individuals must practice social distancing throughout the facility from anyone not in the same family.
   2. All individuals must conduct daily symptom assessments (self-evaluation). Anyone experiencing symptoms (some examples are:cough, fever, chills, muscle pain, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell) must stay home and should seek medical care immediately.
   3. All Players are recommended to wear a face covering when not participating in the field of play.
   4. All coaches and umpires are recommended to wear face covering at all times.
   5. Face coverings are strongly recommended for all individuals over the age of 2 at all times on the facility grounds (excluding players in the field of play as indicated above).
   6. If you or family members are confirmed with COVID-19 you must notify the Trumbull County Health Department.You must also notify HAC’s COVID-19 contact person
2. The complex will be limited to two entrance points. The first entrance will be directly into our parking lot off of Cain Dr. and the other will be an area to enter and separately exit from the Mines parking. There will be yellow tape installed around the rest of the complex perimeter.  No one is to cross the yellow taped boundary.  You must use one of the 2 entrance/exits
3. Temperatures of all individuals will be taken upon entering the fields. If your temperature is 100.4 degrees or greater, you will be required to leave the facility and you should not return until you have been fever free for 72 hours without the use of fever reducing medications.
4. We are required to keep a complete list of everyone present at the fields each day.You will be required to give us your name and contact information upon entering the field. If you do not provide this information you will be required to leave the facility.
5. All players and coaches will be required to use hand sanitizer before entering and after exiting the field of play.
6. The dugouts will not have more than 3 people in them at any given time. Therefore, all players will be required to be spaced out along the 1^st base and 3^rd base fences.
   1. Each player will have his/her own designated area called “Player Area” within a zone called “Player Zone”.The designated player area will be separated by some form of rope, chain, or paint.The Player Zone will be marked in Red paint.
   2. It is encouraged that each player brings their own chair to have a place to sit while in their designated player area.
   3. A parent is encouraged to stay in the player area for our 6-8 yr old Pinto and International divisions.You will help to ensure social distancing guidelines.
7. Spectators will be required to sit beyond the Player Zone and around the outfield fencing. Spacing is limited especially on the smaller fields, so we may need to limit the spectators to immediate family members. No spectator is to sit behind backstop fence between the two dugouts.Those spectators at risk according to the CDC guidelines should avoid entering the facilities or should remain in their vehicles
8. The bleachers will be flipped upside down and will not be useable.
9. Once the game ends, everyone needs to collect their belongings and leave the fields.
10. The concession stand will not be open this season.
11. All players attending games at other community facilities will need to comply with their local health department and their safety plans.
12. The HAC reserves the right to modify these requirements from time to time.The most up-to-date Safety Plan will be posted on our HAC website.
13. The rules will not be up for interpretation.They need to be followed and enforced by everyone that enters our facility.Refusing to comply with the mandatory guidelines and those listed in our safety plan will not be taken lightly. If there is a violation, you will be asked to leave the facility and may return the following day.Repeat offenders will be asked to stay at home.

Thanks you for your patience and support.

Amanda Stewart

HAC President