March 13^th 2020

Madison Baseball Community,

     I’m writing to you as a parent first and the President of Madison Little League (MLL) second.  A lot has been going on recently, and the country is going on an unwanted vacation from daily activity. The unprecedented outbreak of the Coronavirus COVID-19 (CV-19) and the global public health crisis it has spawned is an extraordinary circumstance.  The situation is evolving so quickly that we can't be sure of what tomorrow will bring.  Just as 9/11 changed our lives forever, this will too. First, our prayers and thoughts should be for those that this has and will affect significantly from a physical and financial standpoint. 

     I am writing today to share some recent actions Madison Little League (baseball and softball) is implementing. We understand that we don’t have answers that we are 100% sure are correct. We also know we are not the only organization/people searching for answers.  MLL understands we may not have agreement by all involved with what we are doing as of now; and that’s okay because this is not our personal decisions as to what we would do individually, this is we believe is the best for a volunteer run youth organization.  One common theme we are trying to follow. Default to Safety.  We don't have all the answers that we wish we had for the questions I'm sure you and MLL volunteers themselves have. We also realize where MLL might be on your list of priorities right now.  We are not going to repeat the medical advice that is being communicated by everyone. Here is MLL information in a fluid situation where we are going to adjust as necessary. 

     We will be deferring to state and local and local ordinances (health and school and town) when possible in regards to how we proceed. Still, we reserve the right to go further if we believe that is best for MLL. We also get recommendations from Little League International (LLI), our parent organization. LittleLeague.org/coronavirus

As of now ALL MLL activity is suspended until at least April 6^th. What this means is;

• Baseball clinics @ Brown  are postponed to a later date
• Softball clinics @ Batter Up are postponed to a later date
• Majors and AAA Draft postponed
• Minors Draft for softball is postponed
• Mandatory coaches, first aid, and information meeting at Brown also is postponed

Now for the season.

• Earliest we would start practice is April 6^th 2020.
• Opening Day (which was April 18^th ) as we are used to is not going to happen.  This doesn't mean we won't have an 'opening day,'. But it does mean we won't be having a parade and a large gathering (per state and local ordinances which are currently 250/100 people), as we have in the past.
• When will the start of games be?…don’t have a solid answer for that.  We will see what the state regional local and LLI suggestions are as we move forward in regards to youth sports. If we start April 6^th we would start the season on time (April 18^th)
• The spring season when we have it will be adjusted accordingly to qualify enough games for the All-Star programs at various levels.  What requirements and processes are will be communicated by LLI.

     Please visit the web page for more information. http://www.madisonctbaseball.com/ We will try and communicate as clearly and quickly as we can. Please also understand that we are volunteers, and finding a time to put our heads together doesn't come as easy as we would like! I know Madison residents will continue to be understanding of how different people react to what’s happening around the world right now, and be understanding of their decisions.

     We will all be learning lessons from CV-19, while being nervous and unsure is normal, remaining optimistic is paramount not only for our well-being, but the young, innocent, bewildered little leaguers that don’t really grasp what’s going on.  Here in Madison we have a great community, and we have a great sports community.  While things will change those two definitions won’t change.  I’m looking forward to getting out to Jaycee, Nelson, Academy or Polson and having a few sunflower seeds and a few laughs, seeing friends and more importantly having the opportunity to see the kids of Madison get to play ball!

Stay safe, stay informed, and stay optimistic!

Matt Anderson

Madison Little League (MLL) Coronavirus Update

Last updated March 11, 2020

As of March 11, 2020, all organized MLL activities are still on schedule. We are closely monitoring the situation, and any subsequent news or developments will be updated on this webpage.

At this time, and for the safety of others, no one shall participate in Little League activities if you or your child are ill; have a fever, cough, or respiratory condition; have a compromised immune system; are in any other group that may be at an increased risk of contracting a virus like the coronavirus; or have recently traveled to a country listed on the CDC’s Risk Assessment by Country. For more information please visit the following sites:

State of Connecticut Dept. of Public Health - latest information, resources, and guidance related to coronavirus (COVID-19) -  https://portal.ct.gov/coronavirus

Little League International - Coronavirus Update - https://www.littleleague.org/player-safety/coronavirus-update/