Adhering to the 10 person training per activity zone restrictions gives the clubs the best opportunity to ensure the health and well-being of their members. Should a club member begin to produce symptoms of COVID, the training attendance sheet serves as useful resources to identify those that may have been exposed, and allowing them to take the necessary precautions and seek the relevant medical assistance.

There are a few options to ensure this form has been filled out prior to your training session.
1. Click here and fill the checklist out online.
2. Scan the QR code on the Training posters and fill the checklist out online via your smart device.
3. Download the checklist by clicking the button below to print.
​

As we have all witnessed there is constant change as COVID-19 restrictions begin to ease. Based on the recent update from the NSW Department of Health regarding the revised Public Health Order on May 14th 2020, Baseball NSW have updated its position from our May 15th announcement as follows;
It is acceptable for groups to gather on baseball fields and facilities as long as they adhere to the May 14th NSW Health Department Public Order guidelines;

• Do not attend any sport if you are unwell and experiencing symptoms such as a cough, sore throat, fever, fatigue or shortness of breath
• Do not attend sport if, in the last 14 days, you have been unwell or had close contact with a known or suspected case of COVID-19
• Anyone who is unwell should see a doctor in accordance with NSW Public Health Authority guidelines

Once at the field;

• A total of ten (10) people may gather as per the Baseball NSW prescribed Activity Zones (attached)
• The maximum capacity in any single venue at one time is the responsibility of the venue owner or council
• Physical distancing must be maintained at all times (i.e. 1.5m apart)
• Change rooms to remain closed – toilets may be available for use. If a toilet is accessed via a change room, the toilet may be used, the change room may not
• Outdoor sport only - no indoor sport at any time which includes batting tunnels with a roof overhead
• A nominated person from each gathering must complete the ‘Baseball NSW Return to Activity Checklist’
  • This can be accessed attached here as well as via our Facebook page and website
  • Facebook Link

o ensure consistency, sport related guidelines are:

• The basic rule is “arrive, play sport, leave”
• All participants should be strongly encouraged to download the Government’s CovidSafe App;
• Gathering as a group before or after sport is not possible;
• No close contact or tackling is allowed as it is within 1.5m;
• An area of 4m2 is required per person (i.e. a minimum of 40m2 for 10 people);
• There may be more than one group of 10 people at the same time at the same outdoor venue providing that clearly defined and separated areas of more than 40m2 for each group are allocated;
• No ‘mixing’ of people (including coaches) between separate groups of 10 people;
• Coaches, referees and spectators are included with participants in the total number attending
  (i.e. a maximum total of 10 people);
• Spectators or people providing transport should remain in their vehicle or leave the venue where possible.

It is strongly suggested that all participants:

• Prepare or dress for sport at home;
• Shower at home before and after sport;
• Bring hand wash or sanitiser to wash / sanitise your hands before and after sport;
• Bring their own drink bottle, towel etc;
• Avoid unnecessary contact (i.e. shaking hands, ‘high fives’ etc);
• If required, changing or putting on gear before and / or after sport should be done in, or near to,
  your own vehicle – or elsewhere away from the playing area;
• All equipment (particularly if touched by hands) should be wiped clean afterwards (e.g. balls, temporary goals etc);
• If there is a playing group of less than 10 and spectators are present, 1.5m distancing must be observed by spectators;
• Participants should gradually return to training to reduce the risk of injury.

 
Insurance cover for participants may be required by some councils / venue owners prior to opening their facilities. In most cases, a return to sanctioned / official training by an SSO / SSOD will trigger insurance coverage for registered participants. In addition, sanctioned training may incur ongoing maintenance costs from the council / venue owner.
Enjoy you return to the field!

Mark Marino
Baseball NSW CEO

For More information see links below or click button to download the full announcement.
NSW Office of Sport
https://sport.nsw.gov.au/novel-coronavirus-covid-19
 NSW Government
https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/what-you-can-and-cant-do-under-rules/changes

Dear Baseball NSW members
 
Baseball NSW has taken into consideration the federal update on the three-step framework for a COVID-Safe Australia announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison last Friday, as well as New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s comments made on Sunday, 10 May.
 
Premier Berejiklian announced that certain restrictions within NSW would be eased starting Friday, 15 May, with the key takeaway being that members of the public are permitted to have outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people. However, in the recent public record announcement by the Minister for Health and Medical Research, Brad Hazzard (14 May), no official update with regard to the resumption of organised sports has been provided.
 
Although we are a step closer to returning to baseball, there is no clarity around the easing of these restrictions which relate to baseball or baseball activities. Baseball NSW are in talks with the Office of Sport, and Sport NSW, and the Health Authorities to obtain the permutations around these new restrictions.
 
Until such time that the Office of Sport and other authorities can provide more definitive guidelines that outline what how these eased restrictions apply to baseball, Baseball NSW maintain their position that no baseball or baseball related activities are permitted.
 
The health and safety of our members, as well as the greater community are still our top priority. We will continue to work closely with the relevant authorities to ensure a safe and sustainable return to action. These aspects include hygiene precautions required by all clubs and associations, and the necessary provisions should members show symptoms of COVID-19.
 
We appreciate the patience shown during these difficult times and understand the desire to return to play as soon as possible. However, we encourage our members to adhere to the current restrictions and continue to practice safe social distancing.
 
As a reminder, the COVIDSafe app is now available and will allow authorities to quickly track and control the spread of COVID-19. Please consider downloading the app to help save lives, protect the community and get baseball back as soon as possible.
 
https://www.health.gov.au/resources/apps-and-tools/covidsafe-app
 

As of this time restrictions around competition are still in place and a number of Associations have subsequently chosen to cancel their Winter Season competitions.  However, should the restrictions be lifted and we are allowed to return to play Baseball NSW have provided the following Capitation Categories that will be available for any Associations that are planning on getting on the field for this Winter season.  Our Short Season capitation categories will be made available on all club registration forms if and when restrictions have been lifted. 

For any pre-existing Winter Season registrations any capitation fees already paid can be refunded by completing the online Refund Request Form below.   

https://www.baseballnsw.com.au/refund-request.html 

Refunds will come through as two separate transactions, Baseball NSW will be refunding our component and Baseball Australia will be refunding their component independently. Any Club or Association fees will need to be refunded by them separately. 

For full Capitation pricing please download full announcement below. 

A message from The Hon. Dr Geoff Lee MP, Acting Minister for Sport

The Hon. Dr Geoff Lee MP, Acting Minister for Sport is pleased to provide the following updates:

Active Kids Vouchers
The NSW Government can now confirm that Active Kids Providers may retain the funding from vouchers that have already have been redeemed where a program has been cancelled due to COVID-19 or a recipient has been unable to continue with the program.

The NSW Government is committed to assisting all organisations, including sport and active recreation providers, to keep jobs and maintain business continuity.

The Office of Sport encourages all providers to examine options to deliver alternatives to existing programs that may be affected by COVID-19. This may include extension, delayed commencement or additional programs that satisfy Active Kids Provider Terms and Conditions. Any additional or alternate program delivery is not the responsibility of the NSW Government. Furthermore, if parents were to seek redress for a voucher service not being claimed, it would be up to the provider to provide an additional/alternative service, not the Government.

Active Kids vouchers remain valid until 31 December and the second voucher will become available to parents from 1 July to 31 December.

Grant Funding Announcements
The Local Sports Grant Program and Greater Sydney Sports Facility Fund recipients will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Local Sports Grants will help sporting organisations across NSW be ready to recommence activities when COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

The second round of the Greater Sydney Sports Facility Fund will see investment in new and existing facilities to improve the quality and quantity of sports infrastructure across Greater Sydney.

Financial support available for sporting organisations
The Office of Sport has compiled a document to provide an overview of financial and stimulus measures that may be available to NSW sport and recreation organisations and businesses as a result of the impact of COVID-19.
 
NSW Financial Support Measures
 
AIS Framework for Rebooting Sport in a COVID-19 Environment
The NSW Government notes that National Cabinet endorsed the Framework for Rebooting Sport in a COVID-19 Environment developed by the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) on Friday 1 May 2020.

The NSW Public Health order signed on the 30th of March 2020, remains in force and prohibits exercise in groups of greater than two.

The NSW Government is considering these issues alongside other restrictions and will update the community should any changes to the Public Health Orders be made.

The Office of Sport has a dedicated COVID-19 page to communicate updates to the sport and recreation sector, and will continue to update sector key contacts.
 
https://sport.nsw.gov.au/novel-coronavirus-covid-19

https://sport.nsw.gov.au/sector-resources-library

https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19

​
​Please see below link to download as PDF​.

To Our Members,
 
I hope you all have been managing to stay safe in these trying times and hopefully have not been impacted too adversely and your families are healthy and not too bored.
 
Baseball NSW have been keeping apprised as to the many, many opinions and advice being offered out there in the general community. I know how confusing this all may seem to many and how desperately we all want to return to playing our wonderful game. It just needs to be understood that we are all subject to State Government’s and the respective State Health authority’s instruction. At present there is no discretionary interpretation of when and how our sport can return to action.
 
Given our initial lockdown period ended yesterday, April 30th, Baseball NSW are now reassessing our position on future participation expectations. Considering the NSW State Government’s current Public Health Order (COVID-19 Restrictions on Gathering and Movement), which does not expire until the 29th June 2020, it is our recommendation that any ‘Return to Activity’ in NSW, in as far as baseball is concerned, be delayed until Wednesday the 1st of July 2020.
 
In determining this date, Baseball NSW has taken into consideration the current Government restrictions, as well as the dates of the NSW July school holidays. This would allow a potential return to training on 1st of July 2020 subject to the status of public health restrictions and advice at that time. However, Baseball NSW will continue to monitor  State Government updates should there be any earlier amendments to the existing position that may allow an earlier ‘Return to Activity’.
 
The opportunity for any kind of Winter competition will be impacted by whatever ‘Return to Activity’ date we ultimately land on. Baseball NSW are prepared to provide a reduced capitation for any Winter Competition that may commence for an extended period as well as offering a Tournament Category for any modified weekend events.
 
A July 1st ‘Return to Activity’ date allows us to prepare effectively for our 2020/2021 Summer Season in an as close to normal environment as possible.
 
Baseball NSW staff are now focusing on what a ‘Return to Activity’ scenario may look like with our Development programs and respective Educational offerings. Our associations will face their own challenges which Baseball NSW are available to lend support.
 
With the recent announcement of the Little League World Series being cancelled there is now no need to expedite any qualifying criteria for our State or National junior Titles. This provides us an opportunity to create a competition that can be delivered on our own timelines and suitable to the needs of our members. There will be a more extensive statement to follow.
 
I would also like to thank the many volunteers that have worked tirelessly in keeping your clubs and associations informed and functional. I have been in conversations with many of you and it never ceases to amaze me how committed our members are, you are all the lifeblood of our sport.
 
In closing I would just like to add that we are far from containing this Pandemic and I would ask that we all remain vigilant. No doubt we will get back on the field soon and be much the wiser for it.
 
Stay safe,

Mark Marino
CEO – Baseball NSW
 
P.S. The Federal Government has created an Application to assist the population in navigating through this crisis so please consider downloading the app to help save lives, protect the community and get baseball back as soon as possible:  https://www.health.gov.au/reso…/apps-and-tools/covidsafe-app
 
#returntoactivity
#safebaseball
 
Please see below button to download the latest announcement.