Some low-risk youth sports resume across Long Island

The sports allowed to resume include baseball, softball, gymnastics, field hockey, cross country and crew.

News 12 Staff

Jul 6, 2020, 10:13 AM

Updated 1,556 days ago

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It's time to get ready to play ball! New York State has given several sports deemed lower risk the green light to resume Monday.
Sports included on the list are baseball, softball, soccer, swimming, field hockey, gymnastics, paintball and no-contact lacrosse. 
New York State implemented mandatory guidelines for tournaments, practices, camps, meets and clinics to open mainly for employees and coaches. Masks must be worn when staff is not able to social distance, and health screenings must be performed.
At Express Lacrosse camp in Cedar Creek Park, those strict guidelines are for players too. Before they can enter turf fields, they must go to three separate health and safety tents. At the first they are asked to sanitize their hands. Under the second tent, a temperature check is performed, followed by a health screening questionnaire at the third tent.
Masks are required for the duration of the health screenings. Once players make it to the field, masks can be removed.
Mike Chanenchuk with Express Lacrosse said health and safety measures continue on the field.
"We have one coach for every eight players. We are making sure they are doing their training—their catching, their throwing, their ground balls keeping their proper social distancing."
Per New York State, each child is allowed two spectators. At Express Lacrosse camp, parents were asked to stay by their vehicles and away from the fields as there was not enough room to watch at a safe distance.
Many leagues are requiring their children, adult and senior players to bring their own gear and spectators their own chairs to reduce the amount of people touching the same surfaces.
Meanwhile at Mid-Island Gymnastics, the kids first go to their assigned squares and then proceed to warm up, while maintaining social distancing rules.
"The kids having been off for these 3 1/2 months, it's like they hit the ground running," says Mid-Island owner Joel Schaeffer. "They're doing things it's almost like they never left."