PLAY BALL!
City sports starting to get back in action after COVID-19 shutdowns
Ball diamonds are no longer silent in Saskatoon.
Spring’s extended silence — a product of the COVID-19 pandemic — has been replaced by the chatter and sounds of softball and baseball, along with the slathering of hand sanitizer.
Saskatoon’s baseball and softball leagues returned to action Monday night for the start of a summer season.
‘It’s exciting to be back,” said Mark Loehndorf, coach of the Saskatoon Fury as well as communications manager and board member of the Saskatoon Amateur Softball Association.
“We had our last practice (Sunday night) and basically all the diamonds were busy with teams practicing around the (Gordie Howe Sports) Complex. Everybody’s hungry to get back to softball.”
In normal times, Saskatchewan softball and baseball teams would be well into their third month of the season and getting ready for provincial playdowns.
But this year, they’re finally getting to play their first games of the season.
There are fewer teams and players, but there’s heightened anticipation after a lengthy time sitting idle and unable to escape the ondeck circle. On Monday night, the SASA began play in three men’s divisions and two women’s divisions for its 54th season.
In total, there are 28 teams playing a 20-game schedule from July 6 — September 3.
Teams will be following Softball Saskatchewan’s return-to-play protocols to mitigate COVID-19 risk.
Fans are encouraged to attend as long they keep proper physical distance for safety. They’ll have to undergo a screening protocol and sign in to follow protocol.
“The game itself, if you are sitting up in the stands — and we do welcome fans, but they’ll have to social-distance and they’ll have to sign a (contact-tracing form) for everybody that shows up — you’ll watch the game and you really won’t see much difference,” said Loehndorf.
“A couple of small differences. The defensive team will have to sanitize the ball when it comes into play. They’ll be keeping social distance from the umpire. Any kind of plays at the bases, they’re strongly encouraged to move back to their spots and not kind of hang in there with the ball in the glove, waiting for a player to come off the bag. What you will notice is teams will be social distancing during the games. We’re asking our teams to limit to three people in the dugout and spread them out around in the stands.”
Here’s a quick update on what’s happening elsewhere with other sports in the city:
BASEBALL
Youth baseball games returned to Saskatoon’s diamonds on Monday night with the Rally Cap, under-11, under-13, under-15 and under-18 leagues all seeing action.
The Saskatoon Brewers got a head start with a pair of games Sunday in Lloydminster.
The Saskatoon Men’s Baseball League got an early jump with games already starting Friday night.
The Saskatoon Senior Baseball
League began play Monday night.
BASKETBALL
Basketball Saskatchewan has a four-phase return to sport document put in place during the pandemic.
The phases range from skill training to small group training to group training to restricted competition.
Although outdoor basketball courts could be used for competition under the Re- Open Saskatchewan Plan, Basketball Saskatchewan has delayed that provision.
DIVING AND SWIMMING
Indoor pools are now being allowed to open in Saskatchewan, as of Monday.
Swim Saskatchewan will be releasing its Version 3 of its Return to Sport: Swimming following Swimming Canada’s updated return-to-swimming framework.
All scheduled meets remain cancelled for the 2019-2020 season with a number of summer meets, provincial and national championships all cancelled in July.
Meanwhile, Dive Saskatchewan has been working closely with Diving Plongeon Canada and Sasksport to “ensure we are following all guidelines that have been put in place by the aquatic sports and the provincial government … to ensure safety for all of our participants.”
FOOTBALL
Saskatoon Minor Football isn’t offering any summer programming but is gearing up for a fall restart as registration is now on for the Kinsmen Football League, 5-on-5 flag football and Tykes football.
The Saskatoon high school football schedule has been released with hopes of playing this fall.
HOCKEY
Four-on-four hockey begins this week at the Canlan Arenas in Saskatoon.
As well, the Saskatoon Ball Hockey League is ready to go with mini-league divisions of no more than 50 players in total to meet the Re- Open Saskatchewan health protocol.
Saskatoon Minor Hockey Association is going ahead with registration for fall.
LACROSSE
Saskatoon Field Lacrosse teams will begin outdoor pre-season practices next week, followed by a shortened summer season.
Saskatoon Box Lacrosse is looking at a summer/fall hybrid season after recently conducting a Saskatoon Lacrosse Association survey.
SOCCER
With the recent Re-open Saskatchewan Phase 4.2 announcement, Saskatoon Adult Soccer is looking at a hybrid summer league, “aiming for a six-game season, seven-versus-seven format, starting in late July or early August.”
The 11-versus-11 format won’t be allowed until further physical-distancing guidelines are lifted.
Saskatoon Youth Soccer continues to look at alternate programming and announced its Kids in the Park free summer program, for children ages 5-12, is back in modified form through the months of July and August.
Saskatoon Youth Soccer released its survey results with 78 per cent of respondents indicating they would be interested in returning to play in some fashion including a shortened league (4-6 weeks) consisting of small-sided games, one-day jamboree-style events, training or drop-in soccer, while 22 per cent of respondents were not interested in alternate summer programming.
TRACK AND FIELD
Saskatchewan Athletics has unveiled its return-to-sport plan with the resumption of sport training as part of a phased-in approach.
And that has meant some changes, even at the practice level.
For example, long jump and triple jump participants can run through and pop up in the jumping pits but must avoid landing drills. Rakes and shovels are not to be used.
No competition plans are in place at this time.
Track and field competitions have been either cancelled or postponed, including the high school city and provincial championships this spring.
The Canadian and senior championships, Canadian Masters Outdoor Championships, Saskatchewan Athletics provincial championships, Legion Camp and Legion Youth Nationals, World Masters and 2020 Road Race Series were all cancelled.
The World Athletics U20 Championships, North American Indigenous Games, Saskatchewan Summer Games, Olympic Summer Games and Para- Olympic Summer Games have all been postponed until 2021.
VOLLEYBALL
As of Monday, indoor volleyball is now allowed in Saskatchewan for up to 30 participants overall in a mini-league bubble, while outdoor volleyball continues to be allowed for up to 50 participants all playing within the same league or bubble.
Competition or training is allowed with no modifications within a program or league.
Although participation from across the province is allowed, focus should remain within local communities.
Spectators must be separated from playing area, with a maximum of one spectator per participant.