Leaside Baseball Association Response to COVID-19
The Leaside Baseball Association considers the protection of our youth to be our top priority. As a community-based organization, we are also committed to playing a large role in doing our best to protect all members of the greater communities in which we reside.
Current State of Play
As of July 16, Toronto is in Step Three of the Province of Ontario’s Road Map to Reopen.
In Step 3 of the Province's Roadmap to Reopen the following is in play:
- Outdoor sports without contact or modified to avoid contact, with no specified limit on number of people or teams participating, with restrictions;
- The facility must actively screen individuals who participate in team sports before they enter the facility;
- Attendance tracking must be done for all events. Teamsnap is an acceptable form of attendance tracking with records kept for a minimum of 30 days
- Active prescreening must be completed by participants of all events prior to attending. the following online COVID-19 Assessment is an acceptable form of prescreening
- Spectators are now permitted but must be able to maintain a physical distance of 2 metres from spectators of different households
- There are no restrictions on league size (no bubbles required)
- Call-ups are permitted
- Tournaments are permitted (no international travel)
- Armcare rules and pitch counts through the Baseball Ontario Pitch Count App are applicable and being monitored by Baseball Ontario
For further information, please refer to the following resources:
- Baseball Ontario's 2021 Return to Sport Protocols (Baseball Ontario OnDeck login required)
- Baseball Ontario's 2021 Return to Sport Protocol FAQ's (Baseball Ontario OnDeck login required)
- The Province of Ontario's Roadmap to Reopening
Competitive Baseball
In Step 3 of the Province's Roadmap to Reopen, in-person baseball activities including practices and games are now permitted with restrictions
Outdoor In-Person Activities in Step 2
Universal Protocols
1. 'Distance or mask' rule - Athletes, coaches, instructors, and staff are required to wear a non-medical face mask or face covering at minimum at all times when a minimum of 2 metres of physical distancing cannot be maintained on or off field.
2. Food and Drink - There will be no sharing of food or drink at any time.
3. Intentional Contact - No high fives, handshakes, or other intentional contact.
4. No shouting, singing, or chanting (this increases the chance of saliva projectiles)
5. No sunflower seeds, gum, or spitting (more saliva)
6. Equipment Sharing - Equipment will not be shared, with the exception of catcher’s equipment that shall be sanitized between users (good practice regardless of COVID-19 Protocols).
7. Hand Sanitization - All athletes, coaches, and LBA staff will sanitize hands every inning (again, just good practice). Each team will have its own supply of hand sanitizer available at all times for team use.
8. Mask Supply - Each team will have its own supply of clean, disposable masks to be used in case a player forgets a mask or it is soiled.
Spectators
1. Spectators are permitted
2. Permitted spectators will maintain physical distancing of at least 2 metres from anyone outside their direct household.
3. Permitted spectators will remain in the spectator area and refrain from approaching the team for the duration of the activity.
*The LBA reserves the right to add protocols, as appropriate, to ensure a safe play environment. These protocols are also subject to change based on revisions to policies issued by Public Health, Baseball Ontario (OBA), The Toronto Baseball Association (TBA), Province of Ontario and City of Toronto.
Development Clinics
We have postponed all Development Clinics until further notice.
House League
Our team has been hard at work planning an expanded autumn experience for you, conscious of the time we lost in the spring of 2020 and then again in spring 2021. Our goal is to invite as many athletes as we safely can to join us for an action-packed, 6-week session (Aug 30-Oct 8) led by our extremely talented LBA Instructors. Registration for Fall Ball will officially open at 9 am on Tuesday, August 10, 2021. Please stay tuned for more details—including the structure of gameplay at each level and confirmed session dates for each age band.
Summer Camp
Building from the success and safe delivery of the 2020 Summer Camp, we look pleased to announce we will be offering the program again this year! For more information about the camp click here.
Keeping you informed
As we have all learned this past year, the situation with COVID is fluid. Our understanding of how to stay safe and how to keep our communities safe is constantly evolving. As a volunteer-led, community organization, we pledge to follow public health guidelines, to remain responsive to evidence as it emerges, and to be transparent with you about how we are setting policies.
The sections below will be updated each time Toronto changes steps within the province's Reopening Roadmap.
We thank you for your continued support as we navigate through this unprecedented time!
Further Information on COVID-19
For the most current information for you and your families regarding the COVID-19 virus, please refer to the Government of Canada Public Health Website: