Updated 4/19/20:
Dallastown Cougar Baseball Community,
First and foremost, I personally want to thank you for demonstrating patience and empathy while the DCLL Board of Directors attempts to navigate the issues and uncertainties we are faced with during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This communication is to provide you with an update to the DCLL Baseball activities and advise you of the COVID-19 Parent/Guardian Survey that will be disseminated over the next two days.
The DCLL Board of Directors have been meeting formally every two weeks on a virtual platform since social distancing was enacted. We have formed a COVID-19 response team dedicated to following the guidelines and maintaining communication with our stakeholders. Due to the fluidity of the issue we maintain constant communication as new issues arise.
Our mission is to provide instructional organized baseball to the youth of the Dallastown Community. We have not cancelled the 2020 Baseball Season. We do not have a definitive start date, but have considered the current facts and circumstances and have determined the earliest we could possibly start is May 16th. The latest we could start the season is June 20th. If we receive information that determines we could not start prior to June 20th we will cancel the season.
Prior to the state mandated social distancing protocols, DCLL held player evaluations, winter/spring optional clinics, drafted and formed spring teams, and conducted coach meetings and trainings. We met with municipalities, private organizations, school districts, neighboring Little League and York County baseball programs to ensure fields and playing availability. Prior to the suspension we paid for insurances, uniforms, charter fees, field leases, and field and tractor repairs/maintenance totaling tens of thousands of dollars.
DCLL collected registration fees from you to play a baseball season that would play from mid March to mid June, with some tournament teams going into July. I understand the change in season dates is not what you registered and paid for. I understand everyone has different levels of dedication to baseball, and you may have personal priorities that may conflict with a summer baseball season. I also understand that the COVID-19 pandemic may have affected you in manner that would cause you to remove your child from play and/or request a refund.
We will send out a separate email, specific to each team, that will contain a link to a survey. If you have multiple players in different divisions, please complete each survey for each player. If you have multiple players on the same team, please write both names into question #1 "what is your player's full name?" The survey will be used to determine which players will remain playing through a potential summer season and which families are requesting a refund. Parents that opt out of baseball now will be refunded their registration fee less the cost of their uniform (jersey and hat $25.00). All players will receive their uniform. We are working now with little league and Stack Sports, our webpage/registration host to issue any refunds back to the original card used to pay.
Opening Day Ceremony that was scheduled for April 25th at Dallastown High School baseball field was cancelled.
Spirit wear order was received by our vendor, 2TheTee Outfitters Inc. Due to business closures in its supply chain the order was delayed, but they are currently working on it. At this time we do not have the products in our possession and are not allowed to establish a date prior to April 30th to hand out the spirit wear. We will provide future guidance on disseminating your spirit wear.
Again, thank you to all of those that have maintained civility during this this. We are going to do our best to balance the needs of 400 baseball players while maintaining our mission goals. Please contact me or any DCLL board member via email to communicate your ideas, concerns, or questions. A list of board member contacts can be found on our website www.dallastowncougarbaseball.com under the "league information" tab.
Respectfully,
Mark DiNunno
President - Dallastown Cougar LL
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Updated 3/13/20:
Dallastown Cougar Family,
I write to inform you that all Dallastown Cougar Baseball activities have been suspended starting immediately through Sunday, March 29, 2020. All meetings, practices, field prep days and clinics are cancelled during this period. Cougars Dick's Sporting Goods Day is still available to all at the store or online.
We will keep you informed as more information is obtained form state and local governments.
Respectfully,
Mark DiNunno
President-Dallastown Cougar Little League
Updated 3/12/20:
Good afternoon Cougar families,
I wanted to write everyone this afternoon in response to the growing conversation about the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Last night, Little League International issued their first public statement on the topic. That statement, along with an updated list of news and cancellations can be found here:https://www.littleleague.org/player-safety/coronavirus-update/. Their advisement for member leagues is to follow all WHO, CDC, state, and local health department guidelines.
As with everyone, the DCLL board is closely monitoring the situation.We have opened discussions about what this means for our league in the near term. Currently, practices are scheduled to begin on March 23rd and games on April 13th. At this point it is too early to say what or to what extents the impact on our operations will be, but for anyone following the news over the last 24 hours you know that there will likely be some.
We will be taking all cues on this topic from Dallastown Area School District for the immediate future. The district has access to the most current information, recommendations, and guidelines from local, state, and federal health organizations and is much better equipped to make an informed decision than our board is. If the district begins to cancel athletic activities, DCLL will follow suit. If the district continues with these activities, DCLL will as well.
Any decisions made moving forward with regards to this issue will not be taken lightly.Once the school district issues an official statement, we will be in touch with all of our families with an update.We will also be in close discussion with Dallastown Area School District, our neighboring Little League organizations, and our Little League district office prior to making any longer term decisions.
This situation is evolving by the day, and even hour. Please bear with us as we look into what this means for our organization moving forward. We are extremely excited to get our season underway but the health and welfare of our players and their families is, and will continue to be, our top priority.
Please do not hesitate to contact me ([email protected]) or DCLL president Mark DiNunno ([email protected]) with any questions or concerns.
Thank you for your understanding, we will be in touch soon.
Wes
Wes Stiles
DCLL Vice President
|