Dear West Valley Families,
We concluded a WVLL Board Meeting last night and after weeks of preparation and a spirited meeting we have concluded that we will officially be cancelling our “Spring/Modified” Season. Little League asks that we use a template/email/letter when canceling the season and so here is that letter:
West Valley Little League: Cancellation notice for 2020 Spring Season:
We regret to inform you that due to the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and the impact it has had on our community, West Valley Little League has made the decision to cancel the 2020 season. The following factors led to this decision: factors include, but not limited to,
-State/Local guidance Though open to a fair amount of interpretation, the Stage Approach and guidelines for Youth Activities still does not allow for games/large venues until late June.
- Volunteer effort and governance of new safety guidelines for social distancing. This one is a huge factor for us, WVLL would be asking our Coaches/Managers and ALL volunteers to enforce social distancing while working through practices in the HOPE that we would be able to facilitate this as well during games.
As a part of this decision, our league has implemented the following refund policy:
Full Refunds will be issued to all WVLL Families that request them – more to follow on the logistics/timing and message on this (see below)
This decision has also had a significant financial impact on our operations. If you are interested in allowing the league to keep your registration fee as a donation to the league, as we hope to return to the field next season, please do so. Donations are greatly appreciated and critical to our continued mission to provide Little League opportunities to our community.
Thank you for your continued support of our league, and we hope you and your family continue to stay safe during these difficult times.
Without drawing this out in too much detail I would add that we worked over several options/scenarios to try and facilitate a season, all of which brought us to the same set of challenges/issues. While we are cancelling the Spring/Modified Season we are not going away for the summer! Here are things that will be happening this summer and beyond:
WVLL Clinics:
The Board has agreed to organize around efforts to provide “Clinics” for the players this summer. These clinics will need to be organized and scheduled for age groups and they would include: Hitting, Fielding, Position Skills …etc. We will try and coordinate with High School Players as part of our volunteer pool to help coach/facilitate and we already have some commitments from WVLL coaches to help run these as well.
Q: How is it you can run a clinic but not run a League?
A: Numbers and spacing …clinics/camps can be spread out, allow for smaller groups and will not require as much (though still some) safety guidance as compared to having 8x Teams of kids ALL at Duck Alley at the same time. That’s an average of 96-100 kids, 14-22 coaches and that doesn’t even count …parents/spectators.
Summer Tournament Baseball: (aka, Outlaw or Travel Ball)
Since we are not supporting a Spring Season we cannot have an “All Star” program; however, several age groups are already formed and will put together practice plans in the hopes that they can play in tournaments this summer.
Q: If you can allow for Summer “Tournament” Baseball then how is it we can’t have Tee Ball, AA, AAA, Majors Little League baseball?
A: WVLL supports these efforts but does not govern/sanction the play or protocol of these teams. These teams are not minimum play for all players on a team …they are try-out, picked teams. These Teams carry their own Liability/Accident Insurance and fund their own uniforms/registration fees. Numbers and spacing also applies …not as many Teams.
That being said …these are WVLL kids on these teams, they are WVLL family and we provide the fields for them to practice on and support their efforts.
Fall Tee Ball, Baseball, Softball:
While we may be cancelling this Spring, we are going to make a concerted effort around our “Fall Ball” program. For the first time (at least in my tenure as a Member) we will have Fall Tee Ball & Coach Pitch! I am personally excited about this and look forward to supporting this effort. More to follow as we get through summer and prepare for Fall.
Refund Policy:
I would be remiss if I didn’t outline that we are fully funded as a non-profit by:
- registration fees
- sponsorships
- donations
If you can provide your Spring Registration, Volunteer Opt Out, or Sponsorship fees as a DONATION to West Valley Little League – it will be GREATLY APPRECIATED and put to good use. We will also write you a statement for tax purposes.
Despite having already procured roughly 90% of our 2020 costs the Board has agreed to issue full refunds for those that request them rather than partial refunds. This is a decision based on the core of who we are …a tight knit, grass roots community built around the love of a game and a storied history in providing a unique experience for the youth of Eagle, Star, Middleton. We want to see your players this summer at our clinics, we want you BACK for Fall Ball and Spring 2021 seasons.
My goal is to have refund requests facilitated by the end of the Month (May.) Please wait for further detail on a separate email as to how we will handle these requests and track them.
Managers/Coaches:
Your Division Director will be reaching out and we will schedule the Gear Returns. We do need to organize around this and get the Gear bags and Balls back …we also have a surprise for each of you to keep your heart here in WVLL. We will also be on hand to discuss any question you may have around forming a Summer Team for a specific age group (e.g. 8U, 9U, 10U, 11U, 12U) …I can tell you based on previous years we already have a 1oU 2x 11U and a 12U set of summer teams organizing. If you are interested in putting something like that together it takes some effort and we can help you navigate some of the requirements. More to follow on scheduling Gear Returns …
In closing (for now) …
I cannot thank you all enough for your commitment to have your child come and be a part of this program. The pain/anger/fear/frustration/confusion as to the situation we are in is felt by me daily …as a parent/coach and Board Member. The bittersweet feeling of being at our fields, mowing grass and dragging dirt while they remain empty sits heavy …but it’s a slump, that is all it is. This too shall come to pass and we will be back to baseball, Duck Alley, ENC, ECC and Hunters Creek will soon enough echo with dozens, hundreds of youth voices …and the game will be played.
Sincerely,
Nate Garr – WVLL President
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WVLL Board Meeting Agenda: 5/4/2020
WVLL Board Members,
I have personally been working through the Governor's mandate (e.g. "Rebound Idaho: https://rebound.idaho.gov/) the Staged Approach and its respective directions/guidance (attached) as well as the Stage 1 Youth Activities Guidelines (attached) ...taking this information and coupling it with the logistics and scheduling to start/stop a rec season has been a challenge.
Our agenda is simple:
Do we provide a modified season this Spring/Summer?
Getting to that answer may be simple as well ...the results are a bit more complex.
We can work out a schedule (I have modeled a 6-8 week Baseball season(s) for Tee Ball - Majors; however, Softball + Intm./Seniors Baseball is Interleague thus difficult to model as we don't have definitive support from the rest of the District to facilitate this yet ...e.g., fields, scheduling, other teams ...etc.). But ...Schedule in hand, here is what is required:
1. Re-Draft/Scheduling - Teams will have to be re-formed with coaches committed and reassigned
2. Volunteer Commitment - we will have volunteer fallout as well, though could be offset by fewer teams/kids playing
3. Revised ASAP (Safety) planning to facilitate Social Distancing - dugouts are an issue, disinfecting balls, no shared equipment ...etc.
Issues:
- making sure we can stagger practices (and when we are cleared ...games) so that we don't conflict with the Staged approach (though there is confusing interpretation of what is allowed)
- governance to practice social distancing, safe-measures while having kids running around fields (how do we ask coaches to enforce telling kids not to lick their hands and then grab a ball ...or to maintain distance from one another?)
- managing perception that we are doing the "right" thing
- fallout, we will have families that will pass on playing, we will have players/coaches that also pass to focus on Tournament/Summer baseball instead
The above are just points of reference for our discussion, ultimately there are many more nooks and crannies that make up this overtly complex problem we have in front of us. Some updates you are likely already aware of that are relevant to our decision process:
LLWS and supporting Regional Championships - Cancelled
https://www.littleleague.org/news/little-league-cancels-2020-world-series-and-region-tournaments/. NOTE - Little League is ultimately leaving it up to the States to decide if they want to put together a season and host District/State Tournaments.
MYB - Cancels Spring Season, will focus on Summer/All Star Program
https://www.facebook.com/MeridianYouthBaseballSoftball/videos/231289104631609
North Boise LL - Cancels Spring Season
https://www.northboiselittleleague.org/Default.aspx?tabid=691351&mid=715971&newskeyid=HN1&newsid=343424&ctl=newsdetail
NWA (NW Ada) LL - Cancels Spring Season
SWA (SW Ada) LL – Cancels Spring Season