News

Welcome Back To Softball Valley!

Please follow the COVID Rules as we continue to move towards Stage 3 of Alberta’s Open for Summer Plan

1. Distancing and masking requirements remain in effect. Mask as needed in areas where physical distancing cannot be maintained (ex. when not actively playing, washrooms, concession, spectating, in dugouts, etc.). 
2. When entering/exiting the park, please maintain distancing from other household cohorts.  Once inside the gates, spread out and proceed to your diamond.  Hand sanitizer stations will be available throughout the facility and it is recommended that you perform hand hygiene before and after games.
3. Players & coaches are encouraged to monitor/screen for COVID-19 symptoms prior to arriving to practice and play.  If you are sick or have COVID symptoms (cough, fever, shortness of breath, runny nose, sore throat, loss of taste or smell or other symptoms), stay home and do not attend.
4. Minimal shared use of equipment. If equipment is shared, it is the coaches responsibility to ensure the team cleans and sanitizes the equipment between uses.
5. Commonly touched equipment used for game play (e.g. game ball) should be routinely replaced or disinfected during the course of practice or play. 
6. Spectators are directed to the baselines/outfield where they are advised to maintain physical distancing by household.  The playground will be open and it will be the responsibility of the parents to ensure their child performs hand hygiene before and after use.
7. Spectators must stay out of designated areas for players and coaches. 
8. Outdoor fixed seating facilities (bleachers) – 1/3 seated capacity. 
9. All players and coaches should have their own water bottles. Community water jugs or shared cups should not be used. Beverage carts will be available throughout the evening.  Please do not congregate around the cart or remove product on your own.  Staff will provide you with your beverage and as per AGLC guidelines, you will be required to open alcoholic beverages prior to walking away from the cart.
10. Coaches plate meeting: one coach allowed for each team and must maintain physical distancing. 
11. Conferences should be allowed at the pitching area only with the coach and pitcher/catcher while maintaining proper physical distancing. 
12. No player should lick their fingers during softball activities. No shaking hands, high-fives, etc. No sunflower seeds will be allowed.
13. Participants must not compete if they are feeling unwell. 
14. Contact information of the coaches, officials and players should be recorded nightly by the coaches and maintained for 2 weeks, in order to assist with AHS contact tracing, if necessary.
15. During Stage 2, there will be a maximum of 6 people per table in the courtyard.  Do not congregate in groups, maintain physical distancing of 2 m (6 feet) and masking is strongly encouraged.  Alcohol consumption is required to end at 11 pm.

2021 Season Details

Here is the timeline for us to open.  Remember all dates are tentative as Alberta Health Services (AHS) has goals and we all need to meet these goals to continue to full opening.

For all leagues (Mens, Ladies and Mixed)

Practices:  Softball Valley will be open for practices starting June 6th.  The current guidelines dictate only 10 players are allowed on the diamond.  You will need to book practice times by emailing leagues@softballvalley.com or text 403-394-6365.  We will require a list of the 10 players attending and the coach/manager will be the main contact as required by AHS for contact tracing.  Please keep the number of spectators to a maximum of 10.  Spectators must be outside the playing area/dugouts and maintain 2 m distancing.  Masks and social distancing when possible, any shared equipment should be sanitized by the team.  Softball Valley will sanitize dugouts and washrooms, daily.  We are planning to have a beverage cart running and the cart person will be supervising the number of players, etc.

Leagues:  We plan to open for full play with no restrictions (based on AHS guideline) the week of June 21st.  You will need to register your team for leagues no later than June 14th, to allow us time for scheduling.  The season will run tentatively to mid-August.  We also need to know the number of teams to determine the fees and number of games.  

Mens and Ladies teams: confirm your entry with your league President or hank@softballvalley.com

Mixed teams: submit the registration form and code of conduct to leagues@softballvalley.com (a printable version of both forms can be downloaded from the website https://softballvalley.com/lethbridge-city-mixed-league/)

Teams will be able to register a full roster of players (the maximum of 10 players is only for practices during Alberta’s Stage 1 of the summer plan to open). Mixed teams will only be allowed 4 players from other teams (and only 2 players can be from any one team).

Please be patient as there are a lot of unknowns this year, and we still fall under both AHS and the City of Lethbridge guidelines and things may change.  But at least we are going to play some ball.

We will look at tournaments and playoffs, etc. as the season goes on.

If you are no longer running a team, or your team has folded, let us know so we can update our contact list and make room for new teams.

Thanks for your patience, everyone.  

Hank