July 5, 2020
Tomorrow will be my first Opening Day as President of WAA. While it is not the Opening Day I expected, it is the one I will probably end up remembering most. Like all past years, Opening Day Eve comes with many feelings and emotions for all of us. I am at my desk today watching 20 Volunteers communicate and plan together to pull off what two weeks ago seemed impossible. The time they have sacrificed, the thought put into every detail, and the physical effort given, leaves me feeling overwhelmed with gratitude. Your Boards contributions to getting us all on the field safely is too long to list, and it leaves me to question how I / we can show appreciation, and honor what they have given.
Knowing them individually and as a group the answer is simple. We will respect the plan they have laid out, we will be patient with them when adjustments are needed, and when they see the kids playing baseball with big smiles on their faces, it will be all the Thank You they need. (It will probably cost some wings and beverages too)
We cannot fit 4 months of missed baseball into 7 weeks, so we will not try. Our plan is to start slow, keep it simple, iron out the kinks, and use this time to show our children that we can go out into the world and have fun, even with social distancing and guidelines in place. This is the main goal to everything we have planned for the kids. And we cannot do it without every participant playing a part.
Please review the bullet points below for updates, reminders and answers to frequently asked questions:
• All teams have been formed and are being entered on the website along with schedules. Coaches have been selected and will be contacted soon, if not already. Please remain patient if you have not heard from us yet. If you have not been contacted by your team by Tuesday, email the commissioner for the league you registered for. Contact info is available on our website.
• Uniforms will be distributed this week. Your coaches will give them out and review the necessary equipment and attire for the season. No Jewelry for any Game or Practice.
• School and Town fields will be open July 6th, so long as we execute our Return to Play Plan properly. When you get to the park, proceed directly to your assigned field. You will see markings at every field and your coach will direct you on what it all means and how to comply. Please be patient, we are sure there are little things we have missed in our plan, and we will address them as they come.
• As of tonight, any refund requests will be at a prorated amount.
• For Empire Park teams, please remember there is parking available at visiting nurse and a small
trail which works well for teams using field 2.
• Our Return to Play Plan is being updated and will be posted tomorrow. Please read it carefully
(changes have been made). Please note the Plan has Appendix’s that show specifics for each
age. You will be asked to hand in your signed waiver to your coach at your first practice.
• If you need equipment, your coach will have some available for loan thru the season. If he runs
out, we will get you more.
• If you have spray bottles to donate, there is a large metal bin between the two sheds at Empire
Park, feel free to drop them any time. We have enough for every team to start the season but
will need more.
• It will be hot this week, please remember the concession stand will be closed, bring plenty of
fluids and do not share. We will not have trash receptacles available, town parks are “Carry in /
Carry out” In the event we do open the stand we will then provide receptacles.
• Rules and pitching limits will be updated and modified for each league. You will receive
information thru the week and at Coach meetings.
Thank you to all of you for your patience, guidance, and support.
WAA Baseball
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