Updated 7/9/2020
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.
On 6/15, the County of Orange allowed the reopening of youth sports practices under the State of California’s COVID-19 guidance for day camps. Northwood proceeded to plan a practice-only summer season to run from 6/29 until 8/14. The Challenger season was previously canceled at the district level due to the increased health risks with Challenger participants.
On 7/8, the State of California amended its guidance regarding youth sports practices, team drills and training and will no longer allow these activities to occur. The County of Orange has issued a press release which can be found here. Unfortunately, there is no scheduled time by which the state will re-open youth sports.
Effective Thursday, July 9, the City of Irvine is postponing all organized use of athletic fields, batting cages, and basketball & volleyball courts.
At the moment the City of Irvine is postponing, but not cancelling, our field allocation. We will have to wait for further guidance from the state, county and city.
At this time, the State of California has not released guidance on playing games within youth sports. It is likely to come either in phase 3 or phase 4 of the state’s reopening plans. We anticipate needing at least two weeks to implement any such guidance. Given this reality, it is highly unlikely that there is enough time remaining to guarantee games would be played this season.
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.
Northwood Little League has approved a COVID-19 Return to Practice Protocol that is available on our website, and has been reviewed by the City of Irvine to be compliant with the state guidance for day camps. It includes guidance around the use of shared equipment, sanitization, face coverings and modified practices to adhere to social distancing requirements. All participants in the summer season must review and be familiar with the protocols. In addition, training sessions will be held for all volunteers and participants.
In order to comply with the day camp guidance, players will be organized by teams of no more than 12-13 players. We will organize teams to keep existing team structures to the best of our ability. Players will not be allowed to practice with teams other than their assigned team.
Since games have effectively been canceled for the spring season, ALL remaining registered players can choose one of the following options, whether or not they participate in the summer season:
Please use the following form to indicate your preference. Please let us know your decision by June 29th. If we do not receive a response from you, we will choose option 3 on your behalf, and the refund will be donated to the league.
The board has approved the following partial refund policy for registration fees. All registered players are eligible for the same refund policy, regardless of when they requested a refund.
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 |
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.
Potentially, depending on the team and the available spots. Please reach out to the league if you are in this situation. 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.
We do not anticipate participating in interleague play for this season.
Little League International announced on 4/30 that the Little League World Series is canceled for 2020. Since we are not playing games, the league will not participate in any local All-Star tournament, if one were to be held.
Picture Day is canceled for the spring season.
Angel Day for the spring season has been canceled.