Boise-area youth sports leagues at ‘the mercy of the virus’ as they try to restart

Editor’s note: This story was updated to correct the attribution for East Boise baseball.

For some, Idaho Gov. Brad Little’s four-step plan to reopen the state means that their lives will start to return to normal. However, for youth sports leagues, a major part of many families’ spring and summer plans, it is still unclear how and when activities will resume. And there is no doubt it will be far from normal.

The first stage of Little’s plan, which runs May 1-15, includes allowing organized youth activities, such as sports leagues, as long as coronavirus case numbers stay low. For teams and leagues that don’t rely on public spaces, this means they can start back up, albeit with newly instituted safety guidelines and measures outlined by the state.

Chris Seeger, co-founder of Idaho Elite Basketball, knows that hosting games right off the bat isn’t prudent, but his organization has a plan to slowly ramp up to that.

“Practices are where we will start,” Seeger said. “They will be small, group-based and adhering to social distancing guidelines. … We plan to do temperature checks at the door of practice, as well as encourage our families to follow guidelines that have been put forward by the government.”

The problem that a lot of youth sports leagues are running into is the use of public, city-owned fields and complexes. Nampa and Meridian are allowing limited practice for teams in their parks, but Boise isn’t following suit.

Little’s plan doesn’t allow for gatherings of 10 or more people until May 30 — and that’s if everything goes right.

“We are saying that in May, there shouldn’t be group gatherings, and that you need to follow social distancing protocols,” Boise Mayor Lauren McLean said. “So we are not going to permit activities where you can’t meet both of those requirements in our facilities.”

Boise’s parks and recreation department does not have any plans to change these restrictions until McLean’s restrictions — no gatherings and required 6-foot physical distancing — are lifted.

“Right now, there’s no way you could practice soccer without having physical contact,” Boise Parks and Recreation Director Doug Holloway said. “You aren’t able to play baseball. You can’t play adult softball. We certainly couldn’t have our kids participate in hockey. So until that changes, we’re really on hold. We’re at the mercy of the virus.”

Idaho Youth Soccer, the state’s largest soccer organization overseeing more than 15,000 players, is allowing its teams to move forward in whatever capacity is available to them.

The State Cup tournament has been postponed into June and the Far West Regionals planned for Boise have been canceled. Boise also is scheduled to host the event in 2021 and 2022. The 2016 event created a $10 million economic impact in the Treasure Valley, according to previous Idaho Statesman reporting.

“We are following the governor’s stage one guidelines for youth activities,” Idaho Youth Soccer Communications Director Nicole Arsenault said. “Each member club within the state works to decide inside their organization what that looks like for them. Some may be starting, others might be waiting for a bit longer. It’s really up to them date wise, as long as they comply with the guidelines outlined by the governor.”

Organizations specifically confined to using Boise’s public parks will have to wait longer to start summer activities. The East, North and South Boise baseball and softball leagues have gone from postponing to canceling their summer seasons. The West league has only officially postponed its spring season.

“We practice and play games at Simplot Sports Complex, which is not available to our league until June 1st,” an East Boise league representative wrote in an email. “If no changes are made, then it’s possible to start a season in June, but with all the uncertainty, we decided to cancel the season entirely.”

Holloway said that all city facilities, including Simplot, Optimist Youth Sports Complex, Ann Morrison Park and a number of smaller parks, will be closed for sports until COVID-19 numbers prove it is safe to gather again and McLean lifts her restrictions.

The East Boise league has considered moving its fall season into July to give players more of an opportunity to play once they are able. But no plans have been finalized.

Regardless of how each league operates under the new stages of Little’s plan, one thing does seem certain. When operations start back up, there will be a noticeable difference.

“The idea of kids up to bat with masks on and surgical gloves while umpires disinfect baseballs in between batters seems both outrageous and so close to being a real possibility at the same time,” East Boise baseball said.

The Friday Night Flag football league emailed parents Monday night to tell them practices would resume in mid-May and games the week of June 1 in Boise and Meridian. Among the adjustments: One parent per player is allowed to attend games, fewer fields will be used to create better spacing, there will be more time between games to allow for arrivals and departures, and referees will sanitize each player’s hands at the beginning of the game and at halftime. The ball will be disinfected after each quarter.

Arsenault figures her soccer organization might see a drop in participants due to the pandemic.

“We understand that initially we may have hesitant parents and players to rejoin play, and that’s totally OK,” Arsenault said. “All of our members are preparing for dealing with that scenario in a positive manner so the player and family’s best interest and decisions are respected. We are hopeful that, by fall, we will see a more traditional number of participants.”

Seeger and Idaho Elite Basketball are seeing the opposite effect.

“We see an increase in interest,” Seeger said. “We believe that COVID has allowed for a greater appreciation and underscored the importance of what youth sports has done for families and players.”

Idaho Rebounds protocols

The state provided protocols for youth activities during stage one of Little’s reopening plan. They include:

▪ All events should be “within youths’ own community.”

▪ Establish protocols to maintain 6-foot physical distancing “where possible.”

▪ Eliminate carpooling among people who aren’t members of the same family.

▪ ”Limit, where possible, physical contact among participants.”

▪ Have parents pick up their kids outside after indoor events.

▪ Use masks where possible.

▪ Avoid hugs, high-fives, etc.

▪ Ensure adult leaders, youth and their families know they may not be in the facility or “recreational area” if they or anyone in their household has had onset of symptoms compatible with COVID-19 in the prior 14 days.

▪ Screen adult leaders and youth each day for symptoms. Ideally, that means temperature checks.

▪ Frequent use of hand sanitizer or hand washing before, during and after activities.

▪ Avoid sharing equipment.

▪ ”Frequently disinfect items touched by more than one person.” That includes basketballs.

This story was originally published May 6, 2020 at 4:00 AM.