NEWS ARCHIVE

Edwin Ferguson 1950 - 2021

It is with deep regret that we inform you that Edwin Ferguson, one of our long time players, has passed away due to complications from Covid-19. We consider the league as family and we have lost one of our family members. He will be greatly missed.

Our condolences go out to Edwin’s family.


2020 END OF YEAR REPORT

The 2020 Regina Senior Slo-Pitch season has come to a conclusion. After receiving final approval from Softball Sask. and the Sask. Health Authority, the season commenced on July 6th. There were some restriction and protocols put in place to keep everyone safe so things were a little different but we were able to play. Thanks to the coaches and players for your cooperation in complying with the new rules.

The number of teams and players were down this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic but a total of ten teams and 140 players participated in 2020 season. Each team played a total of 18 games and the season ended on August 26th. Due to the late start, our normal extended/fall season was not held.

We were unable to hold our usual mid-season BBQ social but a league windup was organized by Kelly Sheard and held on Thursday August 27th at the diamonds. The windup consisted of a Skills Competition including a Home Run Derby and some throwing relays with a majority of the attendees participating. A total of 85 player were in attendance. A catered lunch was held at the conclusion of the Skills competition. The weather cooperated and we ended up with a beautiful day and the comments received about the event were very positive. A draw was held as well with a print by Howard Nixon of our league being won by one of the attendees. Great job by Kelly and her helpers.

Our Annual General Meeting was held on October 7th. Some league issues were discussed but the agenda was shorter than usual due to the shortened season. We all hope that things will return to normal next year and we will be able to start play in Mid-May as usual and have our normal season. Thanks to all of the executive, coaches and committee members for their help this year. We hope all players keep safe and healthy during the off-season and that everyone is able to return next year. You will be contacted in the spring to confirm your plans. If you know of anyone who is interested in joining our league, please let us know.

The final item at the AGM was an election officers for the upcoming year. The Executive for 2021 is as follows:

President: Bill Johnston
Vice President: Larry Jacobson
Secretary: Ralph McMaster
Treasurer: Jim Myers


JUNE 19, 2020 COVID -19 MESSAGE #3:

Fellow Athletes (soon to be again, we hope)

Firstly, this is being sent to all players in the group email list; if you are not playing this year, at least you are being kept in the loop.

Like most of you, we are beginning to feel the buzz about playing ball again soon. News reports suggest that the Diamonds are opening up on June 22 as part of Phase 4.1 of the Reopen Saskatchewan plan. But, don’t get too excited too quickly.

We are Sanctioned through Softball Saskatchewan (SS). We receive many benefits from SS, including insurance without which we (Dale and Neil – and probably the rest of the executive) would not be involved. SS have been very busy writing guidelines and protocols which they are presenting to the Health Authorities to form the basis of the assertion that Softball can be played at no or minimal risk to spreading Covid – 19. These guides have changed 3 times in 2 weeks and are very thorough and, at times contradictory. We have been studying these protocols (currently 11 pages long)

At the same time, our hosts at the Girls’ League (RMSL) are doing the same thing. We are riding on RMSL’s coat tails to meet the requirements that are within their control and must adapt our use of the facilities accordingly. We are not going to recite all the requirements here but, as an example, the dugouts (for which 6 foot social distancing is required) must be sanitized between games, the benches. coat hooks, all touchable surfaces.

The news reports suggest the diamonds will be open but don’t explain that only open for individual team practices --no league or exhibition games—until we have demonstrated through many practices that we can meet the stringent sanitation requirements. Permission is needed before we can play actual games. Yes, SS knows that we don’t practice. We cannot host our New Player Workout (with fewer than 30 participants) because that is not “within a single team.”

What we are doing, beyond studying all these requirements and figuring out how we will comply, is to prepare team rosters so that we are as ready to go as possible. To that end, you should have recently heard from your coach from last year to learn of your current intent for this year. The response so far suggests a few more drop outs compared to the same enquiry earlier in the spring.

As well, SS now have their own Waiver which must be in our hands before you can participate in any activity. This will replace one of the Waivers you have signed in the past as our league is included in the new document. This form is attached. Please print it, read it and complete it and put it with your ball gear so that you will have it with you when you come for your first practice. Please note that there are tick boxes in clauses 2, 4, and 7 that must be completed. Also, be prepared to report to a “Sanitation Champion” at every practice and game confirming your current health status and that of those in your family and recent contacts. This detail will be recorded and kept for contact tracing purposes if needed. If you attend another diamond on any day, which we ask that you not do, you must report to one of those teams Sanitation Champions and be recorded on their Report. Yes, the requirements are onerous.

Stay tuned, we are doing the best we can.


MAY 9, 2020 COVID -19 MESSAGE #2:

Message to players Re: 2020 Season Second Edition

“Spring has sprung, the grass is ris, I wonder where the ballplayers is” I guess we are all still Social Distancing or in Isolation.

Around the 1st of April, we had sent you a message regarding the upcoming 2020 Slo-Pitch season. I think it is time for an update as we had promised although not much has changed.

As you are probably aware, the Province has announced some tentative plans to reopen the province. From the information that I have, it appears that our league play would fall under Phase 4 of which no date has been published yet. A lot will depend on what happens in phases 1, 2 and 3. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that all goes well.

We are getting updates from Softball Saskatchewan and are keeping in touch with the Girls League but everything is on hold for now. The City has not authorized use of the diamonds to date.

It is my hope that we can still have some sort of ball season this year but it will probably be at least a month or more before we have any idea on how or if we can proceed.

The only thing we can do right now is wait and see how things go. Once we receive notice from the authorities and how we can (or cannot) proceed we will be in contact with you further to let you know our plans. If we are able to proceed in some fashion, we will be in touch with all players to see if they are still interested in playing this year and will plan accordingly based on the interest.

On another note, we had also contacted you previously about offering league warm up jackets for purchase through Western Cycle. We had received several orders from players but when we went to place the order, Western Cycle told us that they were temporarily closed due to Covid-19 so were unable to place the order with their supplier. We will proceed with this once Western Cycle reopens, hopefully, soon. For those who paid by cheque, these have not been deposited yet. As the order has not been placed yet, if anyone else is interested, please contact us. The cost is $40.

Please keep healthy and safe. Let’s all do our part to put Covid 19 in the rear view mirror so we can get back to some sort of normal and hopefully play some ball again this year.

If anyone has any questions about the league or anything in the above notice, feel free to contact either of us as follows:


APRIL 1, 2020 COVID -19 MESSAGE: FROM THE PRESIDENT [OF THE BALL LEAGUE]

Message to players Re: 2020 Ball Season

It was our original plan to start the 2020 Slo-Pitch season on May 11th. This does not now appear to be a possibility in view of the uncertainty around the Covid-19 Pandemic, especially since the authorities have banned social activities for the foreseeable future which would include our Slo-Pitch League. We are now in the process of trying to determine when and if we will be able to proceed with league play this year.

At this point, we are advising that we are suspending the start of league play until further notice, a minimum of June 1st being very optimistic.

It is still the plan/hope to have some type of league play/Slo-pitch activity this year but we are in a holding pattern until the Pandemic situation improves and the present restrictions have been removed. We may be able to start play later (in June or July) or possibly just play some pickup games depending on the interest at that time.

We will try to keep you informed as things develop. In the meantime, keep healthy.


2020 FIRST MESSAGE


A sure sign of spring is when you get a message from me that begins with

Fellow Athletes

A number of ball players have maintained contact through the winter by gathering for coffee every two weeks. Through the Fall, the common topic of conversation was recuperation, new diagnoses, planned procedures etc. Most recently, the conversation centered around renewed hope for athletic glory as the 2020 Regina Slo Pitch season is in sight. 2 months from now, we will be on the diamonds. Oh what a feeling!

BTW, the next coffee party meeting will be on Wednesday March 18 9:30 am at the Northgate Mall Food Court. . Feel free to join in and let the stereotype of retired people sipping coffee in the Malls be damned.

The next contact you receive from the league will likely be a phone call from your 2019 Coaches to enquire about your status for the upcoming season. This year we are asking the Coaches to be a bit more direct and specific with their enquiries. This is for a couple reasons.

We anticipate being at full capacity for the 2020 season. Already we know of more new players than we may have space for. There may be a wait list. We have considered a registration date cut off for returning players but, have set aside that idea for now. We do ask however that you be as ready as possible to answer the question when asked.
The Coaches’ questioning will also be a bit more specific relative to planned absences. We are hoping to factor in these considerations when making up the teams so as to balance this situation among the teams as best possible.
Some of you receiving this message did not play ball last year but remain on the mail list at your request. If you are planning to join an active roster this year please get in touch with us.

During the past couple years we have offered various items of clothing bearing the league logo at a low cost. Prices are very slightly above cost, basically rounding up for convenience. A number of players have asked about warm up jackets and we like the idea. The problem that these items are most needed early in the season when the mornings are cool. We are taking orders now for these jackets with a closing date of March 31. A photo of the jacket is attached. It will include an embroidered league crest and the all in cost to you will be $40.00. They can be ordered by delivering the detail to Neil or Dale by mail or personal delivery. The detail needed is your name, phone number, size and the payment. Cash or cheque payable to Regina Senior Slo Pitch. We will be promoting other items early in the playing season. Order deadline for the Jackets is March 31.

We plan to have a couple warm up the arm throwing sessions prior to the season. Details of that will follow but for now we encourage everyone to go into personal spring training mode and begin to deal with any unwelcome accumulations that have been building since about Halloween, present company included.

Any questions or comments are welcome. See you soon

If you are a potential new player in the league, please contact either person listed above.

If you don’t take care of yourself – the undertaker will take over.