Eagles to begin small-group functions
As athletic competition across all levels remains at a standstill, the Humboldt Eagles are taking initial steps towards beginning the 2020 season.
The local American Legion summer baseball program announced in a release on its website that the team will begin it’s registration and assessment period Monday as more than 150 business across the county have applied to reopen with softened “stage 2” shelter-in-place restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Eagles Board President Joey Vance said to the Times-Standard
Saturday that the program which fields some county’s most dedicated ball players ages 13-19 has its mind on “doing something for the kids.”
“There’s probably going to be no games for a while, we’re going to stay safe and follow the rules,” Vance said.
Vance added the Eagles do not plan on scrimmaging anytime during the coming weeks, and that small-group functions will be limited to noncontact drills.
The release says as the program awaits “updated guidance from local and state health officials and policymakers,” the team will participate in recreational activities involving “small groups (10 persons) and mandated safety distancing and required precautions.”
The release goes on to say, “Prior to any competitive baseball games, the Humboldt Eagles will submit an action plan based on the current guidelines.”
County Public Health Officer Dr. Teresa Frankovich said during Friday’s media session, “In terms of summer sports leagues…all I can tell you right now is that’s not really on the table. However it would not surprise me if over the next couple months, over the summer, that we’re able to see some of those activities start.”
Typically the summer under-19 baseball season starts
after the academic year ends in early June.
Coaches for two other local summer U-19 ball
clubs, the Northern Humboldt Giants and the Southern Humboldt 76ers, said their programs are awaiting specific clearance from local officials before proceeding with team functions.
Giants coach Troy Ghisetti
said to the TimesStandard “when the county says we can practice, we’ll go.”
76ers coach Andy Olsen said his program will “wait and see” for a few weeks before making any decisions.
On Thursday the Humboldt Crabs announced the organization had suspend its season until shelter-inplace orders allow for organized team sports.
On May 4 the Humboldt B52s canceled its 2020 season outright.