Crystal Lake Little League is using the CDC and Mchenry County Health Department guidelines as well as Little League suggestions to provide a safe and fun environment for your player.  We need to work together to help make this a safe successful season.  We ask that you abide by the guidelines and encourage your child to do the same.  

As we kick off the season, here are our League’s current mandatory participation guidelines:

Health Requirements:

• If any coach or player (or anyone in their household) is exhibiting any COVID-19 related symptoms, including but not limited to cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, fever of 100.4 or above, chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, or new loss of taste or smell, they should seek medical advice and can not attend practices until cleared by a physician. 

• If any coach or player (or anyone in their household is tested positive for COVID-19, they should remain isolated at home for a minimum of 10 days after symptom onset and can be released after fever-less and feeling well (without fever-reducing medication) for at least 72 hours or has 2 negative COVID-19 tests in a brown with testing done 24 hours apart.  Positive test results should be communicated to the coach to take proper precautions so that notification can be made. 

Any player or coach that has had close contact (immediate family members or contacts w/in 6-ft for more than 15 minutes unless wearing an N95mask) with anyone who is diagnosed with COVID-19 should quarantine for 14 days after the last/most recent contact with the infected person and should seek a COVID-19 test.  All other team members should be on alert for symptoms of fever, cough or shortness of breath and taking temperature if symptoms develop

We are recommending that if you are able, you supply a helmet for your child.  We will not be allowed to share helmets this year.  If you are not able to purchase a helmet, your coach will assign one to your player for this season only.  

If your child has a bat, please have them bring it to each practice.  It is best if each player has their own, but if that is not possible, we will do our best to sanitize bats as often as possible.

• The bleachers, behind dugouts and behind backstops will be closed to spectators.  Only players will be allowed in the bleachers, as designated by coaches as an extension of the dugout.  
• Spectators shall view games from designated areas along the outfield side of their respective team, outside the field of play and fencing. 
• Spectators for games will distance themselves around the fields.   Please sit at least 6 feet between members of different households, using the fence poles as guidelines.
• Maximum 50% capacity and 20% seating for spectators.
  
• Weekly cleaning and disinfecting of the premises will be done including restrooms.

• Coaches should design practices that will be run so that coaches and players can maintain an adequate social distance of 6 ft. 
• Practices will allow for players in each station to be 6 ft apart and stations to be 10 feet apart.  
• In situations where this is not possible, coaches and players should wear face coverings over their nose and mouth.  (cloth masks or League provided guard recommended).

• All coaches & players should wash their hands or use hand sanitizer upon arriving at the field for practice and there should be scheduled times for repeat hand washing/sanitizing.

• Attendance will be taken at every practice and game.

• Players/coaches will be responsible for bringing their own water/drinks to practices as water fountains will not be available and drinks/food will not be shared. Concession stands will not open this season.

• Group sizes should be limited to 50 participants, coaches and umpires (excludes spectators). Multiple groups of 50 or fewer participants are permitted as long a s30-ft distancing is maintained between groups.

• Restrooms will be open on an emergency basis, as available, try to go in 1 at a time. 

• Team equipment (tees, nets, baseballs, etc.) will be sanitized as best possible before and after each practice and game.  

• Personal equipment (helmets, bats,  catcher’s gear,mitts)  should  not be shared between players and coaches will need to disinfect between each use.
• Players' own equipment should be placed at least 6 -ft away from others’ personal belongings. 

• Team sizes will be limited to 10 players or fewer per 1 coach.  Teams will need to be separated by a minimum of 30-ft.  One coach per team will be responsible for monitoring distancing requirements during practice. 

• Roster will remain static once the season starts.
• No new players will be added without Executive Board approval 

• Players and coaches will not be able to attend practices for a team they do not play for.  Siblings should not be on the field. 

• Start times for practices and games will be staggered to minimize contact between teams. 

• Shared snacks, team huddles and postgame handshakes will not be allowed. 

• Parents/spectators are required to observe game from outfield from the team and should maintain 6-ft distance among themselves.  If closer than 6-ft parents/spectators need to wear face covering over nose and mouth.