Updated 5/7/2020
The Northwood board is actively monitoring guidance around the coronavirus from our local school districts, the city of Irvine, Little League International, and the CDC. The following frequently asked questions details our current response to the COVID-19 situation, and will be updated with new information as it becomes available.
All Northwood Little League activities, including team practices and games, are suspended until further notice. The Challenger season has been canceled.
Following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to refrain from gatherings for at least eight weeks, the leadership at Little League International chose May 11 to coincide with that guidance. The current recommendation is that all leagues rely on guidance from local and state authorities on resuming Little League activities after May 11.
The Northwood Little League board is relying on guidance from state and local Irvine officials, Little League International, and District 55 regarding the best date for the resumption of activities. Currently the city of Irvine has not provided a possible date for reopening of athletic fields for organized use, but is evaluating the situation week to week. In any scenario, the league would need 1-2 weeks additional time to reschedule practices and games if and when play was allowed to resume.
The city of Irvine’s recreational facilities are currently closed until further notice. In a normal season, post-season tournaments such as D55’s Tournament of Champions and All-Stars continue through June and July. We are currently planning on having an extended regular season through the months of June and July. The regular season will pre-empt the post-season activities.
Our priority as a board is to put on the best season possible, while protecting the health of our players and volunteers. For our league age 12 players, this season represents their last chance to play in the premier Majors division, and we hope to make that possible. We also hope to provide a summer activity for our players as many other summer programs will likely be proactively canceled. Play would only resume with the approval of Orange County and Irvine city officials.
Registered players can do one of the following:
Please use the following form to indicate your preference. All currently registered players that choose not to participate in a restarted season can officially withdraw and submit a partial refund request now. There is no need to fill out the form now if you are not withdrawing at this time. In case of a canceled season, the same form can be used to request a refund or donate your remaining fees.
The board has approved the following partial refund policy for registration fees. All registered players are eligible for the same refund policy, whether they withdraw now or in the case of a cancelled season.
Partial refund amounts will be as follows:
|
League Age |
Refund per Player |
|
League Age 4 |
$36.00 |
|
League Age 5 |
$56.00 |
|
League Age 6 |
$62.00 |
|
League Age 7 |
$78.00 |
|
League Age 8 |
$82.00 |
|
League Age 9 |
$90.00 |
|
League Age 10 |
$92.00 |
|
League Age 11-14 |
$96.00 |
Most refund requests have already been processed, and additional requests already submitted will be processed shortly. Please bear with us as our registration provider has recently changed its refund policies, which is slowing down our refund process.
Unfortunately we are unable to offer refunds for Challenger players, as the registration fees for the Challenger program do not cover the upfront cost of participation (i.e. uniforms, insurance).
We understand that registration fees are a significant expense for many families, and that in this time of economic uncertainty, every dollar counts. Please be aware that many of our teams started practicing the last week of January, and the league has already incurred significant expenses especially around uniforms and league insurance. Our refund policy will ensure that as much of the registration fees are returned as possible, while not drawing down the league’s balances or funds raised for field improvements. This is the only responsible way to take care of our current membership and still ensure the league is viable for future generations of Irvine Little League players.
Opt-out fees will be refunded in full as part of any refund request.
Due to the inherent difficulty in restarting the season and additional planning required, any players withdrawing prior to a restart will not be eligible to play in the restarted season. No new registrations will be accepted for the current season.
You can use the same link to indicate your player will be withdrawing from this season. There is an option to let us know you don’t need a refund. Thank you for your support! Donated fees may qualify as a charitable contribution since NWLL is a registered 501(c)(3) organization in good standing, and may be eligible for a tax deduction. We would be happy to provide a receipt for your donation upon request.
Since every league will handle the resumption of activities differently, interleague play is currently to be determined.
Little League International announced on 4/30 that the Little League World Series is canceled for 2020. There may still be an opportunity for All-Star play at the local level, all the way up to state. Northwood Little League is focusing on providing a season for all of our players. If there is an opportunity to participate in All-Star Tournaments, we will examine it closely.
Picture Day will be rescheduled if and when the season is restarted.
Angel Day for the spring season has been canceled.