***UPDATE: All on field activities suspended until 2021***
Dear Portland Little League families,
The following is an important note about the impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on Portland Little League. Please read the entire email, but here are the key takeaways:
- The health and safety of our players is, and always will be, our top priority. Last night, the board of directors reviewed the guidance received from Little League International and we have decided to suspend all league activities until Monday, April 6.
- The assessments scheduled for this Sunday, March 15, have been postponed. The Majors draft scheduled for the following weekend is also postponed. The softball clinic scheduled for Saturday, March 21 has been cancelled.
- We are still planning to have a season, and we are hopeful that the situation will improve soon. We will promptly share any further updates via email, our website, and our social media pages.
- We are waiving the late fee this year, and we will allow players to register until Sunday, April 5 (April 30 for Juniors and Challenger).
While there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Portland at this time, we are mindful of what is happening in our city and state. The board of directors met last night and voted unanimously to follow the recommendation of Little League International to suspend all Little League activities until April 6. While the board is committed to providing our players with the opportunity to experience and enjoy Little League, the health and safety of our players is, and always will be, our top priority. Therefore, the board felt that this suspension is the right decision for our league.
As a result of the suspension, all league activities, including the assessments scheduled for this Sunday, are postponed. However, we are not sitting idle - we are working to adjust our pre-season activities in anticipation of Opening Day on May 2 and developing league-wide procedures to ensure the health and safety of our players once the season begins.
In anticipation of resuming activity on April 6, the board has decided to allow players (t-ball through Majors) to register until Sunday, April 5 (April 30 for Juniors and Challenger). However, we understand that some people might be hesitant to register for Little League in the current environment; therefore, we have decided that late fees will not be assessed to registrations completed by the April 5 deadline. As always, please register on our website: portlandll.org
We are hopeful that we can still have our season, and we are monitoring the information coming out of the CDC, the state health department, Portland Public Schools, and Little League International. We expect to have more information in the coming weeks regarding rescheduled assessments, as well as information regarding the steps we will be taking to prevent the spread of germs at Little League events. Please keep an eye out for future emails and monitor portlandll.org and our social media pages: Facebook and Instagram
Please see the resources below for additional information about COVID-19:
These are extraordinary times, and that requires extraordinary measures to keep our players safe. We hope things return to normal soon, and we hope to see your kids on the field in the near future.
If you have additional questions, please email
[email protected]. Thank you for your time and understanding!
Sincerely,
Brian Demoree
Communications Director / AAA Softball Director
On behalf of the Portland Little League Board of Directors