Little League Offers Guidance to Return to Play

All around the country, leagues, organizations, businesses, and more are looking to return to some sense of normalcy during these tough times.

Little League is the latest organization to offer guidance to its teams as they try to return to play during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last month, Little League canceled the 2020 Little League World Series in Williamsport and other league sponsored championship events.

However, this guidance is so that specific leagues throughout the country can hold regular-season games.

The thought process is by keeping things local, that the leagues will be able to handle the new protocols better than traveling and playing throughout the country.

Little League is advising its members of some "best practices" to hopefully ensure the most safety possible for the participants if indeed there is a return to play.

These "best practices" have been compiled by working with medical professionals, the CDC, and those within the organization.

These guidelines include:

-eliminating all non-essential contact

-banning postgame handshakes in favor of a tip of the cap

-players should wear face masks in the dugout and all coaches-volunteers need to wear protective gear at all times

-players need to stay six feet apart in the dugout and fans need to do the same in the stands

-umpires will be behind the pitcher instead of behind home plate

-there should be no concession stands

-game balls would be removed and cleaned throughout the game

According to ESPN, Little League President Stephen Keener believes these measures will help guide families and players back to the game during this pandemic saying this "can be done, we think as safely as possible ... if you follow these guidelines."

Two years back, South Dakota had a Little League team that made it all the way through the qualifiers to Williamsport where they made so many South Dakotan's proud and it is so unfortunate we won't see those images from Williamsport this year.

That said, you have to commend Little League for putting safety first and hopefully these regular-season games will still fill the void for the fans and the players.

For more information on Little League and more information on what they will be doing this summer, you can visit their website.