DIRT DAWG SPORTS

"Practice Hard Win Easy"

COVID FACILITY & FIELD RULES

AT DIRT DAWGS FACILITY:​


  • Facility Cleaned and disinfected daily
  • Bathrooms will be cleaned multiple times during our open hours
  • Baseballs will be disinfected daily- Coaches will have their own buckets – which will be left at facility and cleansed daily
  • GYM will be Closed and will remain closed until phase III.
  • Batting cages and cage rentals will be on a reservation only plan 
  • Lessons and small clinics will be available. We have reviewed procedures with all instructors and are ready to go . Please call facility and we will coordinate lessons with you
  • All employees and coaches will have masks and when they are not able to social distance they must be worn
  • We will have traffic flow mapped out at facility to avoid congregation in traffic flow areas
  • All employees will be monitored for signs of covid daily. All employees are required to stay home if they are not feeling well at all. 
  • Practices will be one team at a time for multiple reasons. 
    • To keep facility numbers down and in order to keep social distancing, but also to get all our teams as much turf time and space as possible to get everyone up to speed and ready for game time
    • Outdoor practices and details to follow – we are waiting on rules of engagement from local boards of health


Parents – Players


  • Upon arriving at facility – please do not enter facility till 5 min before your practices.
    • This will enable prior teams to exit and for facility to get cleansed prior to next group entering
  •  We ask parents and players to remain home if they are not feeling well.
  • We ask all players to enter facility wearing a mask
  • We ask all parents and players to enter via the front door and follow the signs to the turf.
    • Flow in thru front door – enter turf on far left side – keep all your gear together in a socially distance area from other players- exit turf on the parking lot side and exit out the side door . Area will be blocked off in the parking lot for safety as well.
  • Players – no gum – seeds  in the facility
  • Players bring your water bottles – please make sure name is clearly marked on your container – keep container with all of your gear. If you purchase a drink at the front desk we will mark it with a sharpie to avoid anyone else picking it up by mistake
  • Players no sharing of any equipment.
  • We do have extra gloves – bats – catchers gear that has been disinfected , at the facility
    • If you borrow any gear please return it to the front desk so that we can remove it from circulation till it is completely disinfected by DDS
  • Parents – seating is limited in the facility – feel  free to enter and keep social distancing . However please feel free to remain outside as well , we mean this in a caring loving way.
  • Parents if we owe you any gear please reach out and we will review and get things packaged up. We will email you so you know when to pick it up at desk etc.
  • Parents with outstanding balances – with season being a go we look to close those out ASAP , but we will work with you. We truly need these wrapped up so we can actually keep the lights on .


Coaches


  • All coaches must have masks. Please wear them into facility and when not able to social distance – masks must then be worn
  • Need to keep players socially distance at all times.
  • Make sure all players gear is on the turf and is separated from other players gear
  • Make sure all team conversations adhere to social distancing rules
  • In order to maximize time on the turf and to keep groups smaller we ask that you all have clear plans for each of your practices.
  • Hitting we ask that a cage be left open between each hitting cage and that players are all on the turf and not outside the cages in small groups.
  • If you are not feeling well please let Dirt Dawg MNGMNT know ASAP so that we can help coordinate practice with asst coaches – Stay home if not feeling well
  • Parents – players –coaches – dirt dawg employees  (AKA Dirt Dawg Family )


We have all been waiting for a long time to get back together here at the Dawg Pound and get on the fields  as well. We all need to work together to make sure that we make this work the way the state officials and DDS staff has mapped out. The ball is literally in our hands to keep the COVID virus away and to work towards getting some normalcy back in all our lives. Lets make the best of this opportunity.  Lets work together to keep all of us healthy and on the fields.​


​AT PLAYING FIELDS:​


2020 Dirt Dawg Sports  - COVID-19 Safety Guidelines Phase 2

The safety guidelines below are to be enforced before, during and after all baseball/softball practices. These guidelines are in addition to guidelines provided by the CDC, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, as well, as our local recreation department. These safety measures must be strictly adhered to by all players, coaches and spectators to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.


PRACTICE GUIDELINES

  • Maximum of 25 participants at each baseball/softball field. Participants include players, coaches and spectators.  Groups will not be greater than 10 people.


  • Face coverings should be worn when not on the playing field, cannot socially distance (minimum of 6 ft apart) or in the designated dugout by all players and coaches. 


  • Practices will be tailored to limit the usage of shared baseballs/softballs and maintain social distancing as much as possible. For batting cages, no more than one player and coach in each batting cage while practicing social distancing. A max of two players can be waiting outside the cage while practicing social distancing.


  • Spectators are limited to only the player’s parents/guardians. Spectators must remain beyond 1st and 3rd base while practicing social distancing (see Figure 1). Face coverings are recommended. The bleacher area cannot be utilized by spectators as the bleachers are considered to be part of the designated dugout area.

  • Dugouts (benches) are to be extended to the outside behind the dugout (benches) to the home plate backstop with fencing on both sides to keep spectators separate. This area will be marked for social distancing (e.g. cones, signs, or roped off (see Figure 2).  

  • Teams practicing will leverage both dugouts to further separate players. Splitting teams evenly across both home and away benches.

  • Players should have their own helmet, bat, facemask and water bottle. Each catcher should have their own catcher’s equipment. Players must refrain from sharing equipment. Request all gear have players names on it to avoid any confusion and accidental sharing.

  • Players should wear batting gloves as much as possible during practice, especially when handling a bat.

  • Coaches will have hand sanitizer and/or wipes available for all participants; however, we encourage each player to have their own hand sanitizer.

  • Players and coaches must refrain from any physical gestures of celebrating, including but not limited to high fives, hugs, fist or elbow bumps. 

  • When social distancing is not possible (e.g. player injury), coaches and players must wear masks and if possible, gloves.

  • No seeds, chewing gum or any food that encourages spitting will be allowed.

  • Each team will be responsible for cleaning their dugout area after practice. 

  • There will be no organized games, scrimmages, or tournaments during Phase 2.

  • Players, coaches and/or spectators that are not feeling well or exhibiting symptoms of possible exposure to COVID-19, such as fever must not attend practice until such time as the player, coach or spectator has been tested and/or cleared.


For additional COVID-19 guidance, please visit:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/youth-sports.html