District 8
West Mesa Little League
COVID-19 Safe Practices
 2022 Spring Season

The following protocols will be followed by all individuals taking part in any District 8 sanctioned activities and are based on:
COVID-Safe Practices for Youth Sports and Programs (NMDoH)
Consideration for Youth Sports Administrators (CDC)

The District 8 COVID-19 Safety Team members are:
Presidents
Jason Moore
Amanda Lopez
Carlos Bustamante
Joe Lovato    (Email: [email protected] or Phone: (505)975-9724)
Tyler Ortiz
Ron Thompson
Reina Torres
Neal Santa Cruz
Geno Rivera
District Administrator
Carlos Garcia
District Safety Officer
Phillip Ramirez





Practice Safety Protocols

Parent/Guardian Responsibilities:
Parent/Guardians:  All parent/guardians at practice shall wear a mask.  
Parent/Guardians: Non-essential personnel shall not be at practice.   It is preferred to have only ONE parent or guardian per participant at practices when possible.   
Parent/Guardians: All parent/guardians at practice shall adhere to social distancing and remain at least 6’ away from each other.
Parent/Guardians: No group snacks will be allowed before, during, or after practice.
Parent/Guardians: Each player must bring his/her own water bottle with adequate water to last the entire practice. No sharing of water bottles will be permitted.
Parent/Guardians: There will be no spitting, sunflower seeds, or chewing gum allowed at West Mesa Little League.  No exceptions!
Parent/Guardians: Anyone who does not own a helmet of their own will utilize the same league owned helmet for the entire practice and will not share it with any other individuals.
Parent/Guardians:  Any family members or players that are showing COVID-19 symptoms, or if they have had a close contact with a person who has tested positive for or who has symptoms of COVID-19 shall not attend any District 8 Little League activity.
Parent/Guardians: When staffing allows, a separate coach/volunteer will be assigned as a safety volunteer for the practice. 
That individual’s sole responsibility is to ensure all players follow hygiene and safety protocols for the duration of practice.
They will also be in charge of disinfecting all items, as necessary, during practice and distributing hand sanitizer between drills.

Manager/Coach Responsibilities:

Manager/Coach: Ensure an adequate supply of hygiene items, including soap, hand sanitizer (at least 60 percent alcohol), facial tissues, and waste disposal.   These will be provided by your local league.
Manager/Coach: All managers and coaches will wear a mask at all times.
Manager/Coach: At the beginning of each practice coaches will provide a training/reminder for the players regarding hygiene and safety protocols.
Manager/Coach: There will be no spitting, sunflower seeds, or chewing gum allowed at West Mesa Little League.  No exceptions!
Manager/Coach:  Dugouts shall not be used during practice.  Players shall leave their equipment either in a safe area in foul territory or outside of the playing field during practice.  Personal items will be marked to ensure proper social distancing (6 feet or more) between players.
Manager/Coach: Teams shall practice in “pods”.  A pod is defined as four (4) players and a single coach (5 individuals total).   Each pod shall be physically distant (6 feet or more) from each other during practice.  Drills will be structured so that all participants within the pod maintain 6 feet of separation from other players and coaches.  These groups will stay the same for the entirety of practice, no contact between groups during the duration of the practice. 
Manager/Coach: Activities must be restricted to conditioning and skills development. Competitive play and scrimmaging are not permitted
Manager/Coach: Prior to instruction, coaches/volunteers will wipe down and disinfect all frequently touched surfaces or any equipment that will be used during the practice (e.g. baseballs, batting tees, bats, helmets). 
Manager/Coach: No additional parents/volunteers other than the needed number of coaches and a safety volunteer will be allowed on the field during practice.
Manager/Coach: A log of players in attendance for each practice will be kept for the entirety of the season. This would be useful for contact tracing efforts, if needed.
Manager/Coach: Anyone who does not own a helmet of their own will utilize the same league owned helmet for the entire practice and will not share it with any other individuals.
Manager/Coach: Before practice begins, at the end of practice, and at appropriate times during practice, a coach or the designated safety volunteer will provide hand sanitizer to each of the coaches/volunteers and the players.
Manager/Coach: If players develop symptoms during practice, they must be immediately picked up. While waiting to be picked up, they must be taken to an outdoor location well away from other individuals.
Manager/Coach: All coaches/volunteers and players will have their temperature taken when they arrive at practice.
Any child with a temperature of 100 or greater or an adult with a temperature of 100.4 or greater and/or other signs of illness will not be allowed to practice.
Any sick individuals cannot return to league activities until they have met the “Return to Activity Policy”.

Player Responsibilities 

Players: All players shall wear a mask, even during practice. 
Players: There will be no physical contact between players. (e.g. high fives)
Players: Players will not share personal equipment.
Players: There will be no spitting, sunflower seeds, or chewing gum allowed at District 8 Little Leagues.  No exceptions!

When Someone is Sick with COVID-19

Parent/Guardians: Any participant or family member who tests positive for COVID-19 shall notify the league COVID-19 Safety team immediately.
League Safety Team: Areas used by a sick person will be closed off and not used until after cleaning and disinfecting them (for outdoor areas, this includes surfaces or shared objects in the area, if applicable).  Wait at least 24 hours before cleaning and disinfecting. If 24 hours is not feasible, wait as long as possible. Ensure safe and correct use and storage of cleaning and disinfection products, including storing them securely away from children.

Return to Activity Policy

In the event any coach/volunteer or player becomes sick with COVID-19, the Department of Health will be notified to perform contact tracing. We will follow NM Department of Health guidance on notifying volunteers and families so the infected person can be provided the next steps.
Any coach/volunteer or player who tests positive for COVID-19 cannot return to league activities until 
They have met the local laws for quarantine 
They have been retested and received two negative results more than 24 hours apart.
Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 must provide their leagues COVID-19 Safety Team with proof of negative test results prior to returning to activities.

Game Safety Protocols

Games will not be played until allowed by local and state governments.
If the state does permit games, additional guidelines will be distributed in accordance with new state directives


*** If any individual refuses to follow the District 8 safety policy they game will be stopped and a verbal warning will be given to the individual. If they still refuse to follow the safety policy the individual will be asked to leave the premises. NO EXCEPTIONS***