Play ball… Youth baseball and softball set to begin the week of July 7th
Published 3:19 pm Thursday, June 25, 2020
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Photo Contributed The Elizabethton Carter County Youth Baseball and Softball League is preparing to get their fall season underway. Signups are currently underway by going to the Elizabethton Parks and Recreation website and following the link.
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BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR SPORTS EDITOR
Local fans will start to hear the bing of a bat and the laughter and joy of children as they join their teammates on the baseball and softball diamond as sign-ups are currently underway for the Elizabethton-Carter County Youth Baseball and Softball League according to General Manager Scott McIntosh.
All sign-ups are being conducted online by going to the Elizabethton Parks and Recreation website and following the links. Information is also posted on the league’s Facebook page (eccybsa).
The age limits allow for four-year-olds to play T-ball Coed and also will include 13-year-olds as long as they did not turn 13 by May 1st of 2020.
Age groups break down as follows:
4-5 T-ball Coed
5-6 Coed baseball
7-8 Coach Pitch Baseball
9-10 Baseball
11-12 Baseball
7-9 Coach pitch softball
10-12 Player pitch softball
There will be no travel teams allowed to participate however there will be teams from other locations such as Jonesborough and Erwin who will be playing to change things up in the league this season.
The sign-ups are slated to end on July 6th and practice will begin on July 7th and run for two weeks.
Games will begin after the two-week practice timeframe and the final week will be the week after Labor Day.
Each team will be playing a 12-game season in both baseball and softball. There will be no end-of-season tournament.
Players signing up will be required to sign a COVID-19 waiver and social distancing will be maintained as seating will be marked off while concessions will be on a limited basis.
The league will have masks available for the players if they want them as well as hand sanitizer will also be available at the fields. There will be ample time between games to allow for the dugouts to be wiped down.
Bathrooms will be open.
“The main thing for us is that kids will be able to be out and having a good time,” stated McIntosh.
Games will be played at the Lions Field for baseball and at Cat Island for softball.
The cost to sign up is $55 per player and the cost includes insurance, umpires, jersey, hat, and belt. If a family has multiple players there is a $5 per player discount per player to sign up.
If anyone is interested in coaching, there is also a need for coaches. A background check will be run on those who are interested for the safety of the children.
Sponsors are also needed for the teams with a cost of $250 which gets the sponsor’s name on the back of the uniforms as well as a sign.
With the impact that the pandemic has played, any assistance the league can get in helping make sure the kids are taken care of will be appreciated.