The FTLL Board met today to discuss possible changes to its 2021 COVID-19 Health & Safety Guidelines in light of changes in Covid guidelines announced by federal and state authorities. The Board unanimously voted to update its policy as follows:

Masks are generally not required for outdoor practices and games when players and adult volunteers are on the field of play but are required when six feet of physical distance is hard to maintain for a substantial period of time (including as examples, but not limited to, players together on the bench, in a huddle, or in a dugout).

This policy update is effective May 18, 2021.

Here are further guidelines for all coaches and other volunteer adults to follow during practices and games:

1. All players, coaches, and other adult volunteers must bring a mask to every practice and game and have it at the ready at all times.
2. Face masks do need to be worn when six-foot social distancing cannot be maintained for a substantial period of time. If players come into close contact for only 30 seconds during an outdoor practice drill or during a game, no masks are needed. On the other hand, if multiple players and/or coaches and adult volunteers gather in the dugout for several minutes, everyone must mask up.
3. Everyone must mask up while in a dugout, sitting on a bench together, or closely gathered otherwise.
4. Avoid big groups clustered together in the dugouts or on the field for extended periods of time.
5. Tee Ball coaches, other adult volunteers, and parents should work together to keep players as spread out as possible before and during games. This includes when a team is in the field and batting. Coaches should require Tee Ball players to wear face masks if players are clustered for more than 30 seconds.This specifically includes but is not limited to periods when Tee Ball players are preparing to hit, even if not strictly located in a dugout.

We formally open our season this Saturday, with Majors Baseball and Softball games taking place at our field at Marge Jones Park, in Rockport, at 9:00 a.m..  As with every year, we will be holding an Opening Day Ceremony following the morning's games.  Unlike most years, the 2021 Opening Day Ceremony will take place virtually - with limited numbers of folks coming to Marge Jones Park.

We will be webcasting the events starting at 11:00 a.m. through our Facebook Live account.  The direct link to use to watch the ceremony is https://fb.me/e/5lh3djycr.  

You can also find the link by looking under "Events" on our Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/fivetownlittleleague/

During our ceremony, we will be celebrating all that has taken place this season after a year without baseball and softball in 2020.  We are so fortunate that are programs are go forward this season and for our children to be running, hitting, throwing, and catching on the many fields of our Five Towns. 

We ask our Tee Ball and Minors families not to come to Marge Jones Park this Saturday, except to be spectators for one of our games scheduled for the fields.  We are hoping to minimize the number of people who attend for the 11:00 a.m. events -- which attract upwards of 500 people in total on a normal year.

The Marge Jones schedule (tentative) is as follows:

• 9:00  - Rotary vs. Knoxers (baseball) and CedarWorks vs. Hammond Lumber (softball)
• 11:00 - Opening Day Welcome
• Ceremonial "lighting" of the new scoreboards (thanks to Allen Financial Group and Pepsi for their sponsorship! and for Fitzy, LLC and Hedstrom Electric for their work in installing the new scoreboards)
• Announcing our our Teams, Sponsors, and Volunteers
• Presentation of the American Flag and the National Anthem
• Introduction of 12-year-olds and recitation of the Little League Pledge
• Ceremonial "First Pitches" on the baseball field -- honoring the memories of Theodore Hedstrom and Lila Jackson
• 12:00 - Clear the field to prepare for the 1:00 pm baseball game -- Lions vs. McCormicks
• 1:00 -- Lions vs. McCormicks (baseball)

On our other fields on Saturday:

• First National Bank (AAA Minors Softball) vs. Thomaston at George C. Hall Field, in Rockland, 10:00 a.m.
• Lincolnville Fire Dept. vs. Jaret & Cohn (AAA Minors Baseball) at True Park, in Hope, 10:00 a.m.
• Maine Coast Construction vs. Bench Dogs (AA Minors Baseball) at True Park, in Hope, 1:00 p.m.
• Horch Roofing (AAA Minors Baseball practice) at True Park, in Hope, 4:00 p.m.

We hope for healthy crowds of spectators at all of our games this Saturday and throughout the season.   We ask our spectators to review our Covid-19 Health and Safety Guidelines before arriving.  We do not require spectators to wear masks but ask all spectators to respect each other's space and try to maintain a 6-foot distance from others while on the sidelines.  

We are still looking for an interested Five Town Little League player - with some musical interest and ability - to either 1) play the National Anthem on her/his favorite easy-to-travel instrument, or 2) sing the National Anthem.  Please contact Rick Thackeray immediately if your child is interested in such a performance on Saturday morning.

We're looking forward to a safe and enjoyable Opening Day.  We hope you will be a part of it.

View the Maine Dept. of Economic and Community Development's "checklist" guidelines for community sports here:

https://www.maine.gov/decd/checklists/community-sports

Five Town Little League is in the process organizing a CHALLENGER division for children with physical and intellectual disabilities. We are excited about this opportunity and we want hear back from parents that are interested in signing their children up!

This program will not work without parents and friends willing to step forward and volunteer with coaching and team organization. Please contact program coordinator Dana Jackson at dana.jackson@charter.com or 207.458.2341 or Moriah Hersey Grant at moriahgrant@gmail.com  to learn more!

Please visit Little League International's Challenger page to learn more about this amazing program:

https://www.littleleague.org/play-little-league/challenger/

Follow Five Town Little League on Facebook for in-season updates and highlights.

https://www.facebook.com/fivetownlittleleague/

We have posted our Parental Code of Conduct in the right column and made it a part of our Consent/Waiver/Release during registration. Please read it carefully in order to understand our requirements.

Children from Appleton may be eligible to have their Little League registration fees covered through the generosity of the folks with the Jeff Landwehr Memorial Fund.   Priority for these scholarships is given for children who have a demonstrated need for assistance, but it is the goal of the Landwehr Fund to assist as many Appleton children as possible on a first come, first serve basis.  So, do not delay in registering.  Please contact Ken Butler at kpbutler@tidewater.net for more information or visit the Jeff Landwehr Memorial Fund's Facebook page