The Region of Toronto entered Stage 3 on July 31, 2020.  As per the Ontario Government’s “A Framework for Reopening our Province: Stage 3” guidelines:

Team sports and live sporting events

• Amateur and recreational sports leagues may resume so long as they do not allow prolonged or deliberate physical contact between players or if they have modifications to avoid physical contact between players.
• Leagues must contain no more than 50 participants total.  If participants in a league exceed 50, the league may divide into smaller groups of no more than 50.  Players are not yet permitted to play against players outside of their league or group.
• Spectators at all sporting events, including professional sports, will be subject to gathering limits and physical distancing measures, with assigned seating where possible.
• Prolonged or deliberate contact while playing sports is not permitted.
• Team sports in which body contact between players is either an integral component of the sport or commonly occurs while engaged in the sport (e.g., wrestling, judo) are not yet permitted, unless the approach can be modified to prevent prolonged or deliberate physical contact.

 

This is great news for York Baseball: to try to salvage the remainder of the 2020 baseball season, to carefully and safely return to the diamond, and to try to recover some normalcy that has been absent, along with promoting the development of our players/children, that can only be gained from being active and playing sports.

 

Please Note – The health and safety of the players, coaches, parents and league officials are paramount.  York Baseball is committed to doing our best to protect not only our YBA family, but also the Smythe Park community and surroundings.

York Baseball will be strictly adhering to the return-to-sport guidelines put forth by the Government of Ontario, the City of Toronto, and Baseball Ontario.

 

Return-to-Baseball Outline

• York Baseball has now secured the required field permits at Smythe Park.

 

• We are currently inviting all players that are eligible to register into 13U (born 2007-2008), 15U (born 2005-2006), and 18U (born 2002-2004).

 

• At this time, we will NOT be running any programs for 11U (born 2009-2011), 9U (born 20012-2013) or T-Ball (born 2014-2016).  This may change at a later date.  Check back for any status updates.

 

• We will be holding York RiverDog Select first-look tryouts in late September/early October for ALL age levels.  Watch for announcements at a later date.

 

• All 2020 players and coaches MUST register online at yba.ca.  Players will NOT be allowed to return to the field until they have registered first.

 

• For the remainder of the 2020 season, no fees will be charged to registered players.

 

• Our plan is to begin with practices, to rebuild skills, strength and endurance levels.  We will then transition to scrimmages and games.

 

• Each age level will be assigned one night, possibly two nights per week. Nights TBA soon.  All practices and games will be held at the eastern “big” field, from 6:30-8:30pm.

 

• Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, new guidelines and protocols must now be in place and strictly followed in order to return to playing baseball.  A ‘COVID-19’ tab under ‘Registration’ has been added, along with 2 new COVID-19 Waivers on the online registration form.

 

• Registration cannot be completed without first reading the mandatory material and guidelines, and agreeing to the related waivers, included on the online registration form:

1. YBA/Baseball Ontario Player Code of Conduct
2. Rowan’s Law Concussion Awareness Review
3. YBA/Baseball Ontario Dual Registration Policy
4. YBA/Baseball Ontario Privacy Policy
5. COVID-19 Guidelines, and Waivers (1) Declaration of Compliance, and (2) Informed Consent and Assumption of Risk (if younger than 18 at the time of signing) OR Release of Liability, Waiver of Claims and Indemnity Agreement (if 18 or older at time of signing).

 

All related material and guidelines can be found under the "Registration" tab on York Baseball's website.

 

The registration link is at the bottom of the "Registration Overview" page.

 

All questions, concerns and comments can be directed to yorkbaseballassociation@gmail.com or gsteramoto@hotmail.com.