This document describes TCAA’s plans for re-opening play. Our Re-Opening Plan is meant to ensure safe practice and play for our youth related to the COVID-19 virus and complies with Martin County’s Procedures for Returning to Play for Youth Sports Programs. This plan follows guidelines from CDC, Florida Department of Health, Martin County, and Babe Ruth League. The TCAA Board of Directors approved the plan on May 31, 2020.

As a chartered Babe Ruth Softball league, TCAA will follow the Babe Ruth League guidelines for mitigating risk. These guidelines cover a spectrum of issues. In addition to these guidelines, the following procedures will be utilized as we return to play.

Promoting behaviors that reduce spread:

• TCAA will limit participation to players and coaches living within the local geographical area.
• Practice sessions will be limited to no more than two teams at a time. This will provide six dugouts and three fields to allow for proper social distancing of players and coaches.
• Symptom screening will be conducted for each session held at Pineapple Park. Parents will sign in their player. Each person upon entering will have his/her temperature taken to monitor for fever.
• Signs will be posted concerning COVID symptoms and safety information. These signs are provided by the CDC.
• A Coach and Parent meeting will be conducted to advise all participants, parents, coaches, officials, volunteers, and spectators to stay home if they are feeling ill, have a fever, or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the past 14 days.
• TCAA will provide supplies needed to comply with Martin County Parks requirements: thermometer, UV Light Sanitizer wands, Hand Sanitizer stations, disposable face masks (PPE), and sanitizer mixture with a backpack sprayer to disinfect dugout areas and common areas.

Maintaining Healthy Environments:

• TCAA shall prohibit handshakes, high fives, and huddles before or after games.
• Each dugout will have a hand sanitizer station along with additional hand sanitizer stations in the common area.
• Spectators will be limited to two per player during practices and games.
• Spectators must bring their own chairs for seating.
• Players will use their own equipment and water bottles. Each family may bring a cooler for family use.
• No concessions will be provided.
• TCAA will mark spaces 6 ft apart for players to distance their equipment and personal belongings. TCAA will have the player set up their gear outside of the dugouts 6 feet apart in a marked section. The player will be told prior to any practices, games and prior to entering the fields that they are to be 6 feet apart unless making game plays, and will not touch or lean on any fences.
• No sitting in common areas will be permitted, including bleachers, picnic tables, and scoring tables.
• Eating in dugouts or benches is prohibited. Sunflower seeds and gum are prohibited.
• Common areas, equipment, and dugouts will be sanitized during and at the end of each session.
• Coaches and Board members will make sure the park is clean for all PPEs and the park will be sanitized prior to leaving.

Maintaining healthy operations:

• All registration is conducted online. All payments will be contactless via the web registration or credit card processing.
• Parents, coaches, volunteers, umpires, and regular spectators must complete a Babe Ruth League release waiver.
• Pre- or post-team meetings will be eliminated to the greatest extent possible.
• Coaches and Team Parents will be trained during a meeting prior to the first session.
• Parents will be notified of TCAA’s Return to Play Plan requirements prior to the start of team practices.
• The Team Parent will be the first line of communication. She/he will communicate with parents of children who are medically vulnerable and will attempt to make accommodations for those players if possible. She/he also is the person to contact for any coach or family COVID concerns. If the Team Parent is not able to answer a concern, the Parent Player Representative (Board member) will address them.

Preparing for when someone gets sick:

• If a player is injured, the person attending to the player and the player herself will wear a mask. Masks will be kept in the concession stand next to the cooler for ice packs.
• Procedures if a player, coach, or volunteer displays COVID 19 symptoms, contracts virus, or is exposed to the virus
  o The Team Parent and/or TCAA Parent/Player Representative will first notify the Martin County Health Department regarding a player, coach, or volunteer that has displayed COVID 19 symptoms, contracted the virus, or has been exposed to the virus. TCAA will follow guidance from the Martin County Health Department regarding next steps for players and staff.
  o The Team Parent will notify the TCAA parents regarding a player, coach, or volunteer that has displayed COVID 19 symptoms, contracted the virus, or has been exposed to the virus. The identity of the sick player or person will stay confidential in compliance with the health department and HIPPA laws.
  o The Parent/Player Representative will immediately notify Dave Gladding, Sports and Athletics Supervisor, at 772-221-1419 or dgladdin@martin.fl.us regarding a player, coach, or volunteer that has displayed COVID 19 symptoms, contracted the virus, or has been exposed to the virus.
  o The TCAA Board of Directors will determine what actions are to be taken and when players or parents can return.
• Sign in sheets will be used for each session. If a player, coach, volunteer, or spectator experiences symptoms, is exposed to the virus, or contracts the virus the sign in sheets will assist in contract tracing. Should this occur, TCAA will notify the County Health Department, players, families, volunteers, coaches, and Dave Gladding, Sports and Athletics Supervisor, at 772-221-1419 or dgladdin@martin.fl.us.