California Department of Public Health released on 02/19/2021 an amended Return to Play guidelines for baseball and softball. Here is the updated guidelines link, https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/outdoor-indoor-recreational-sports.aspx.

Local Leagues can now resume playing in competitive games on one of two conditions: 1) their county enters the Red Tier, or 2) While in the Purple Tier, their county has an adjusted case rate equal to or less than 14 per 100,000 and parents have signed off on an informed consent form indicating their understanding and acknowledgement of the risks of playing during the pandemic.

So what does this mean? If your county falls within one of these two scenarios, games can resume (with the continued mitigation guidelines in place) starting no sooner than February 26th. Sadly, at this point in time, no county in Southern California meets either of these scenarios.

NUMBERS ARE TRENDING DOWNWARD! Latest update from 2/23/21 - San Diego is 15 case rate per 100,000. The state updates their data every Tuesday.

If your leagues choose to resume competitions under the Purple Tier they are also required to provide each parent an COVID-19 Player Informed Consent Waiver for them to sign and return to the league. 

We are getting closer... much closer than we were a month ago. We are very optimistic that we will have a spring season in 2021.

Clay Berry
District Administrator
CA District 33 Little League Baseball

Helping young people develop character, discipline, and teamwork while maintaining physical and emotional well-being through Little League Baseball and Softball.

It’s time to start the prep for the 2021 Little League Season. 

Little League Baseball has significant changes to the rules this year. We will review each of the changes along with other key rules to prepare everyone for the upcoming season.

FOR  SAFETY AND  EASE  THIS YEAR’S RULES CLINIC WILL BE DONE VIRTUALLY. 

Flyer:  2021 D33 Virtual Rules Clinic Flyer

Webinar Schedule:
Session #1: Tuesday, February 23, 2021 @ 6:45pm-8:30pm
Session #2: Thursday, February 25, 2021 @ 6:45pm-8:30pm
Session #3: Tuesday, March 2, 2021 @ 6:45pm-8:30pm

We have separated the Rules Clinic into 3 sessions on 3 different nights. Each session will review different Rule sections. Each session will begin promptly at 6:45pm. Below is the information that you will need to log in to Zoom and to be part of these rule clinics sessions. Please log in to Zoom with your microphone off and video on. 

Little League has done tremendous work to adapt their training and clinics during this pandemic.  Provided below is their 2021 Virtual Clinics for Rule Presentations.  The presentations will run every Sunday afternoon beginning at 4:30 PM PT.  These 45-60 minutes webinars will cover in depth the nine official playing rules found in Little League’s rulebooks.  Pre-registration is required for each session. All sessions are FREE.

Upcoming Training & Clinics

Feb 21, 2021     @ 4:30 PM (PT)      Virtual Umpire Clinic - Rule 2 Definition of Terms Webinar         Register

Feb 28, 2021     @ 4:30 PM (PT)      Virtual Umpire Clinic - Rule 9 The Umpire Webinar                     Register
Mar 07, 2021     @ 4:30 PM (PT)      Virtual Umpire Clinic - Rule 1 and Rule 5  Webinar                      Register
Mar 14, 2021     @ 4:30 PM (PT)      Virtual Umpire Clinic - Rule 6 The Batter  Webinar                      Register
Mar 21, 2021     @ 4:30 PM (PT)      Virtual Umpire Clinic - Rule 7 The Runner Webinar                     Register
Mar 28, 2021     @ 4:30 PM (PT)      Virtual Umpire Clinic - Rule 8 The Pitcher Webinar                     Register
Apr 11, 2021     @ 4:30 PM (PT)      Virtual Umpire Clinic - Primary Softball Rule Diffs. Webinar       Register
Apr 18, 2021     @ 4:30 PM (PT)      Virtual Umpire Clinic - Regulations for the Umpire Webinar       Register

Apr 25, 2021     @ 4:30 PM (PT)      Virtual Umpire Clinic - Rule 3 and Rule 4 Webinar                       Register

Umpire instructors from several of Little League’s Region Centers will moderate these free-to-access presentations that are expected to be provided in 45 to 60 minute sessions. We’d encourage you to download the Little League Rulebook App (LittleLeague.org/RulebookApp) and review the materials available at LittleLeague.org/Rules, as well.

This training will be valuable for anyone.  I highly recommend attending as many of these sessions as you can. 

See you on the Field (Hopefully Soon),

Mark Beall

Umpire in Chief - California District 33 Little League

WHEN:    Sunday, March 7th, 2021
WHERE: Serra Mesa Little League Field, Cabrillo Heights Park, 8308 Hurlbut St. San Diego, CA 92123
COST:     Free to everyone in District 33
TIMES:   Check in at 8:30am, Coaches Clinic 9:00am -11:30am, Safety Clinic 11:45am -12:30pm
FLYER:   2021 District 33 Coaching Clinic Flyer
PRE-REGISTRATION LINK: 2021 District 33 Coaches Clinic Pre-Registration Link

Coaches Clinic - Mike Pieratt will be running the Coaches Clinic. Mike and his SDBC staff have a combine 100 years of coaching little league to professional baseball experience. Learn how to run effective and fun practices. Learn how to teach basic skills to your players. This Clinic is designed for all coaches and parents of players ages 8 and up. Please wear comfortable clothes and bring a glove.

Safety Clinic - Danyell DiLena will present a Safety Clinic, following the Coaches Clinic. Some of the topics that Danyell will covered will be; evaluating injuries, Initial treatment of injuries, basis first aid and concussions protocol. Sign in sheets will be passed around during this clinic. No pre-registration is needed, a sign-up sheet will be passed around during the clinic.

State of California Required Training and Certifications for Managers/Coaches, Administrators and Sports Officials

Concussion Protocol:  (Required Once)

1.     (a) California law requires that all managers/coaches, administrators and officials must complete an online concussion training at least once before supervising youth athletes; a certificate from a prior season is valid for this season. It takes only about 30 minutes to complete the training.

The online Concussion Protocol Training is at: https://www.cdc.gov/headsup/youthsports/training/.

2.     A concussion and head injury information sheet must be signed by both the athlete and a parent/guardian before the athlete initiates practice or competition. An existing form from the 2020 spring may be used if it’s available. The signed sheet must be carried with the player’s medical release and code of conduct form.

Abuse Awareness Protocol: (Required Once)

1. (a) All managers and coaches must complete the Abuse Awareness training provided by USA Baseball and SafeSport. The managers and coaches must carry documentation that the course has been completed. Here is the link to the course: Abuse Awareness for Adults (usabdevelops.com)

Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Protocol: (Required Once)

AB379 now requires the same protocols used for concussions in youth and high school sports to be used to help protect young athletes participating in school and community youth sports organizations from sudden cardiac arrest—the #1 killer of young athletes. Community youth sports organizations include an organization, business, nonprofit entity, or a local governmental agency that sponsors or conducts amateur sports competitions, training, camps, or clubs in which persons 17 years of age or younger participate. The online Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Training is at: https://epsavealife.org/sca-prevention-training/

Please save and carry each of the certification certificates for all of your managers/coaches in your team binder.  Administrators and Sports Officials should carry a hardcopy or an electronic copy with them to all game sites.

Mark Beall

Umpire in Chief - California District 33 Little League

As of January 1, 2018, the new USA Baseball Bat Standard was implemented. USABat Standard bats must be used in the Little League Major Baseball Division and below. Either USABat Standard bats or BBCOR bats must be used at the Intermediate (50/70) Baseball and Junior League Baseball Divisions. At the Senior League Baseball Division, all bats must be meet the BBCOR standard.

USABat Standards - Decertified Bats:

           
The Easton Ghost X 30/20 YBB18GX10 and LL18GHX 30/20 2 5/8” has been decertified by USA Baseball and is no longer an approved bat under the USABat Standard. This applies to the 30” (-10) length of the Ghost X YBB18GX10 and LL18GHX. 

All other certified lengths and drops of the Easton Ghost X USABat remain approved for play.

The BBCOR decertification process has been implemented on the following bat(s): 

          

·        2020 and all previous models - Louisville Slugger Meta 33-inch model

            

·        Reebok - Vector TLS 32 and 33-inch models

           

·        Marucci - CAT5 33 & 34-inch models

           

·        Marucci - Black 33 & 34 -inch models
          

Please note that images are for reference only and are not guaranteed that the bat model in question looks exactly as these internet supplied images portray.

Full details on de-certified bats can be found at: https://www.littleleague.org/playing-rules/bat-information/decertified-bats/. A full list of approved bats can be found at https://USABat.com

Mark Beall

Umpire in Chief - California District 33 Little League