Baseball Victoria COVID-19 Information

Baseball Victoria continues to closely monitor the complicated, shifting COVID-19 pandemic as we follow all state and federal restrictions to protect the health and safety of the community.

Baseball Victoria confirms that at this stage, the current shutdown of all baseball activity will be extended through Sunday, 31 May 2020.

This includes all forms of baseball training, club activities and team meetings, as well as events, tournaments and competitions.

Decisions that are being made continue to evolve, and we are unable to say with any certainty across a range of contributing factors how the next months will progress to allow us to return to playing baseball. As the landscape shifts, we will continue to monitor these changes and apply them as necessary.

The winter competitions for Bendigo, Dandenong, Geelong, Latrobe Valley and North Eastern Baseball Associations and Melbourne Winter Baseball League and Sunraysia Baseball League will not commence until after Monday, 1 June 2020. We are currently anticipating the opening day for those seasons to fall on Saturday, 13 June 2020.

“In these unprecedented times delaying the start of the winter baseball season, while understandably disappointing to the Victorian baseball community, is the only course of action available to the Baseball Victoria Board to ensure compliance with government measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and to provide clarity for Winter Associations and Winter Clubs planning purposes,” Baseball Victoria President Myles Foreman said.

“This decision has been taken in consultation with the Winter Associations and Summer Clubs participating in the VSBL. I would like to take this opportunity to thank these Boards and Committees for the collaborative spirit in which we have worked together to navigate the direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19.”

“Thank you also to Baseball Victoria CEO Kristie Middleton and the Baseball Victoria Office team who have continued to provide leadership and support to the Victorian Baseball Community during the same challenging times we are all facing in our personal, professional sporting worlds.”

“The constantly changing situation will continue to be monitored and Baseball Victoria will continue to work with the Winter Associations and Clubs in preparation of resuming baseball in Victoria. In the meantime, please stay safe and healthy in these unsettling and unprecedented times,” Foreman added.

Baseball Victoria and the Winter Associations are working together on the format of those seasons and how these competitions will impact the commencement of the 2020/21 Victorian Summer Baseball League season.

The Baseball Victoria state capitation fees will be reduced by 10%, and members who have already paid will be refunded via Sports TG. These refunds will be processed in the next 48 hours.

The Sports TG portal for registering for the winter season will be closed until Friday, 1 May 2020.

Baseball Victoria and the Winter Associations have also concluded the 2020 State Winter Championships should be abandoned, allowing the Winter Associations to conduct the longest possible winter season.

The State Winter Championships have been rescheduled to the same dates and locations for 2021:

12-14 June 2021 Senior Geelong

26-27 June 2021 U14 Bendigo

03-04 July 2021 U18 Mildura

17-18 July 2021 U16 Morwell/Traralgon

24-25 July 2021 U12 Werribee

“Our organisation is conscious of the long-term effects this pandemic will place across our economy, sporting bodies, associations and clubs,” Baseball Victoria CEO Kristie Middleton said. “We have prepared a page with information as it is applicable to share with you to assist in navigating this space.” Please click HERE for COVID-19 resources.

We would also like to make our members aware that Major League Baseball (MLB) has issued a mandate for scouts to cease operations in their entirety during the shutdown of professional baseball.

Click HERE to read the full notice from Baseball Australia on what clubs and players should know about the current scouting shutdown.

If you have any questions please contact Baseball Victoria by clicking HERE for full contact details.

You can find information on how to keep yourself and your family safe and healthy HERE from the Victoria Department of Health.

LATEST UPDATE - 10:00 AM 23/3/2020

Further to the updates provided on Sunday, 22 March 2020 at 8:00 PM, as anticipated Baseball Australia has now postponed all Little League national events:

Australian Junior League Championship, Adelaide previously scheduled for 5-9 May 2020
Australian Senior League Championship, Lismore previously scheduled for 17-21 May 2020
Australian Intermediate League Championship, Mildura previously scheduled for 26-30 May 2020
Australian Little League Championship, Lismore previously scheduled for 4-8 June 2020.

Click HERE for the full Baseball Australia Update.

Baseball Victoria reiterates our previous message in relation to all baseball activity and confirms that the current complete shutdown of all baseball activity in Victoria has now been extended to Tuesday, 14 April 2020.

All forms of baseball training, club activities and team meetings, as well as events, tournaments and competitions should have ceased last week, and at this stage the shutdown will remain in place until 14 April 2020.

Baseball Victoria continues to work with the Winter Associations regarding the upcoming winter season, scheduled to commence on 18 April 2020. Contingencies will be considered, taking into account the fast-paced ongoing nature of further restrictions, long-term restrictions that have already been foreshadowed and suitable timelines for training before the commencement of the season.

We urge the baseball community to adhere to the restrictions in place and review all health information available.

You can find information on how to keep yourself and your family safe and healthy HERE from the Victoria Department of Health.

Upon the updated requirements of the Victorian and Federal Governments, Baseball Victoria confirms that the current complete shutdown of all baseball activity in Victoria will now be extended to Tuesday, 14 April 2020.

The Victorian Government, along with any additional Federal Government restrictions put in place, will be making further statements tomorrow Monday, 23 March 2020, at which time Baseball Victoria will also provide additional information.

Non-essential travel restrictions look certain to affect the National Little League events scheduled in the coming months and Baseball Victoria is working with Baseball Australia and our state and territory colleagues.

Updated 23 March 2020 - HERE is the information provided by Baseball Australia postponing all National Little League events.

We urge the baseball community to adhere to the restrictions in place and review all health information available. You can find information on how to keep yourself and your family safe and healthy HERE from the Victoria Department of Health.

LATEST UPDATE - 12:30 PM 17/3/2020

Baseball Victoria, in this unprecedented and unique situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, is taking a lead from international and national sporting codes to postpone all Victorian Baseball activity from Tuesday, 17 March 2020 until Tuesday, 7 April 2020.

Decisions in relation to the health and safety of our baseball community have been given careful consideration. Following consultations with the federal and state government, Sport Australia and Baseball Australia and our state and territory baseball counterparts, as well as following in line with restrictions on Major League Baseball in the United States, we are postponing our non-essential static gatherings as a precautionary action to assist in stopping the spread of this virus to the most vulnerable members of our communities.

Baseball Victoria and all our member clubs and associations incorporating all remaining summer baseball activities, all winter association and club activity across Victoria and all Baseball Victoria activities will cease for 21 days. This includes all training, club activities and team meetings, as well as events, tournaments and competitions.

In addition to our regular baseball, this will affect the postponement of the following major events:

2020 Australian Women’s Championships - scheduled for 10-17 April 2020, this has been postponed until further notice
2020 Charter Player Development Program including the Super Series – scheduled for Saturday, 21 March has been postponed until further notice
2020 Charter Little League State Championships
- 2020 Senior, Junior and Intermediate League State Championships – scheduled for 28-30 March, this has been postponed until further notice
- 2020 Little League State Championships – scheduled for 3-5 April, this has been postponed until further notice
2020 Baseball Victoria Awards Night – scheduled for Thursday, 26 March, this has been postponed until September 2020

Participants for the 2020 Australian Women’s Championships and 2020 Charter State Championships that are being postponed will receive a full refund. Please note that any payment made via Team App will be processed back via Team App and any payment made directly to Baseball Victoria will be refunded directly. Click HERE for details on refunds.

“The current situation is unprecedented in our lifetimes with the direct or indirect consequences of COVID-19 progressively impacting every aspect of Victorian, Australian and Global Communities. The impact on the ability for the Sport of Baseball to proceed at this time is just one of many COVID-19 impacts the Victorian Baseball Community is now experiencing. This decision was taken after extensive internal and external consultation and is based on the health and welfare of the Victorian Baseball Community and is consistent with a number of broader measures being implemented by government, business and sport to try and reduce the spread of COVID-19. These are very challenging and uncertain times and the measures announced today provide clarity on the next 21 days with updates to follow as the situation continues to evolve,” Baseball Victoria President Myles Foreman said.

This is a quickly evolving situation that changes every day, and that means a decision made today may be updated tomorrow. By clearly postponing events in our immediate future, we have the opportunity to make strong plans for the future that will ensure we can recommence baseball activities as soon as it is appropriate to do so.

The 2020 Australian Women’s Championships will be rescheduled in consultation with Baseball Australia (read Baseball Australia’s full statement HERE). Prior to the recommencement of that program players will be consulted on their availability and we may need to make changes to the teams in order to replace any players whom are not available.

The 2020 Charter Player Development Program, which was to be finished with the Super Series, will recommence immediately prior to the rescheduled 2020 Charter State Championships. This ensures that when we are able to return to play, participants will have the opportunity to train prior.

The 2020 Charter Little League State Championships lead to the National Little League Championships and subsequently the International Little League Championships. At this stage, we will continue to review how the state championships can be restructured and rescheduled later in April and May to allow participation in the national and then international event(s).

All of these championship arrangements are fluid and further decisions will be made on the reschedule of state events based on the timelines provided by Baseball Australia regarding their national championships. Baseball Australia’s timelines for review of its national events are contained HERE in their full statement.

Baseball Australia is in an ongoing dialogue with Little League International with respect to eligibility, and the rules for timelines around participation in events, which all parties have conceded will need to be flexible as event timing continues to shift.

Currently the 2020 winter season with our member Winter Associations is scheduled to commence after Easter, and at this stage, these competitions will go ahead as planned. Consultation with the Winter Associations will be ongoing regarding the start of their season, the effect of rescheduled state and national events, and the Winter Championships. We expect that training for the winter season will be affected by this 21-day hiatus, and as soon as it practical we will confirm the start time for the season, considering the need for training to recommence prior.

Please note that as of today, the Baseball Victoria office has enacted its ‘Work From Home Plan’. The Baseball Victoria landline telephone will be diverted accordingly, and you can still call this number at any time. All staff are available directly via mobile and email. Please click HERE for full contact details.

You can find information on how to keep yourself and your family safe and healthy HERE from the Victoria Department of Health.

LATEST UPDATE - 12:00 PM 16/3/2020

The Baseball Victoria Board has convened a special Board Meeting to consider all possible scenarios and the impact, effect and ramifications of the rapidly evolving landscape related to COVID-19.

The meeting will take place on Monday 16 March with further advice related, but not limited to, the following areas of our operations to be advised to our community before midday Tuesday:

Player, volunteer and official welfare
Commercial and financial impact considerations
State, national and subsequent international competitions
Baseball community welfare

This is a very unique and challenging situation for all concerned. Baseball Victoria is working with Baseball Australia, and state, federal and baseball stakeholders to consider this situation and address it in an unified manner.

The Baseball Victoria Board and Administrators take their role in this matter very seriously and we are looking to lead and support baseball with empathy and considered decision-making.

Please click HERE to view Baseball Australia's statement on COVID-19 from 13 March 2020.

LATEST UPDATE - 4:30 PM 13/3/2020

Baseball Victoria, in consultation with Baseball Australia and the relevant health authorities are following the requirements relating to COVID-19 for Victorian baseball.

The Charter Player Development Program Super Series #1 being held in Geelong has been postponed. At this stage, a new date has not yet been selected.

BV President Myles Forman said “the safety of our members is our number one priority and the directives from Baseball Australia and the Government requires that we postpone some aspects of our sport until it is safe to continue. Please stay safe, and follow all the directions provided by the authorities and see the information below as it relates to our specific games and tournaments.”

Baseball Victoria will be taking precautions with those baseballers who will play over the weekend to minimise contact between players and to ensure best practices are applied as per the information provided by the Victorian government.

All information in relation to schedule changes or postponements will be made on the Baseball Victoria website and via direct email and the Baseball Victoria social media channels. Click HERE for the Baseball Victoria Facebook and click HERE for the Baseball Victoria Instagram.

Baseball Victoria is receiving updates and information via:

Baseball Victoria, in consultation with Baseball Australia and the relevant health authorities are following the requirements relating to COVID-19 for Victorian baseball.

The VSBL games that are scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday 14 March, for women at the Springvale Baseball Club and men at the Melbourne Ballpark will continue as scheduled, however we recommend that you watch on the livestream rather than attend the venues, and that only essential spectators attend.

If attending, we encourage you to follow all the recommendations on healthy best practices from the Victorian government.

VSBL games listed below will be livestreamed from both locations and we encourage you to join our baseball finals as part of our livestream coverage, available on the Baseball Victoria Facebook HERE.

Division 1 Grand Finals: Sunshine Eagles v Blackburn Orioles – Melbourne Ballpark

Saturday, 14 March – 4:30 PM

Sunday, 15 March – 4:30 PM (If game three of the series is required)

Division 2 Grand Finals: Williamstown Wolves v Malvern Braves – Melbourne Ballpark

Saturday, 14 March – 1:00 PM

Sunday, 15 March – 1:00 PM (If game three of the series is required)

Women’s Division 3 East Grand Final: Moorabbin Panthers v Melbourne Demons - Springvale Lions Baseball Club

Saturday, 14 March – 10:30 AM

Women’s Division 2 Grand Final: Doncaster Dragons v Springvale Lions - Springvale Lions Baseball Club

Saturday, 14 March – 1:00 PM

Women’s Division 1 Grand Final: Springvale Lions v Doncaster Dragons - Springvale Lions Baseball Club

Saturday, 14 March – 3:30 PM

BV President Myles Forman said “the safety of our members is our number one priority and the directives from Baseball Australia and the Government requires that we postpone some aspects of our sport until it is safe to continue. Please stay safe and follow all the directions provided by the authorities and see the information below as it relates to our specific games and tournaments.”

Players should:

wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water, including before and after eating and after going to the toilet
cover your cough and sneeze, dispose of tissues, and use alcohol-based hand sanitiser
if unwell, you need to contact your GP immediately
where possible, limit the use of sharing equipment
limit unnecessary contact with other players and officials
restrict shaking hands, this weekend baseball will use fist or elbow bumps
follow the instructions of all baseball officials

Other effective measures include:

avoid touching your face
regularly wipe down your devices
use contactless payment methods instead of cash

Any player who no longer wishes to participate in the scheduled games should immediately advise their club.

Baseball Victoria is receiving updates and information via:

Baseball Victoria, in consultation with Baseball Australia and the relevant health authorities, is following the requirements relating to COVID-19 for Victorian baseball.

If attending, we encourage you to follow all the recommendations on healthy best practices from the Victorian government.

VSBL games will be livestreamed from both locations and we encourage you to join our baseball finals as part of our livestream coverage. VSBL livestreams will be available HERE.

The Charter Player Development Program Super Series #1 being held in Geelong has been postponed. At this stage, a new date has not yet been selected.

BV President Myles Forman said “the safety of our members is our number one priority and the directives from Baseball Australia and the Government requires that we postpone some aspects of our sport until it is safe to continue. Please stay safe and follow all the directions provided by the authorities and see the information below as it relates to our specific games and tournaments.”

BV CEO Kristie Middleton said “In consultation with Baseball Australia, federal and state government, and further to discussions with the national CEOs, Baseball Victoria’s position will be continually assessed, and our position may need to be updated on further advice. Baseball Victoria continues to assess all competitions and future baseball, and we will provide updates as soon as possible.”

Baseball Victoria is receiving updates and information via:

A MESSAGE FROM BASEBALL VICTORIA REGARDING THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
(12 MARCH 2020)

Baseball Victoria continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in relation to Coronavirus (COVID-19) based on information available from a number of sources including; the Federal and State Departments of Health, Sport Australia, the Australian Institute of Sport and Baseball Australia. In addition, Baseball Victoria is working closely with the other State Baseball Associations to coordinate a national response where possible.

Presently there are no restrictions on events where large numbers of people congregate, but Baseball Victoria is conscious of the need to monitor any developments with COVID-19 and will act in accordance with the advice from the relevant authorities.

A Business Continuity Plan for the Baseball Victoria Office is in place which will ensure the team can all work from home if required and services provided to the Victorian Baseball Community can continue.

As a reminder, one of the best ways to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus is to use good hand washing and sneeze/cough hygiene.

You should:

wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water, including before and after eating and after going to the toilet
cover your cough and sneeze, dispose of tissues and use alcohol-based hand sanitiser
if unwell, avoid contact with others (stay more than 1.5 metres from people)

Other effective measures include:

avoid touching your face
regularly wipe down your devices
use contactless payment methods instead of cash

Baseball Victoria will provide additional information to our members as it becomes available and will keep our community updated on any disruptions to the delivery of regular programs or events, should they occur.

The health and well-being of our participants is our highest priority, but it is important that people remain calm and act on the best health advice available.

For general advice on COVID-19, please refer to the Victorian Government Health website, https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus

For sport specific advice, please refer to https://ais.gov.au/health-wellbeing/covid-19, dedicated to providing evidence based, real time advice, including travel as well as FAQs relating to COVID-19 (Coronavirus).

Baseball Victoria COVID-19 Information

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