From: jarel@jpiworldwide.com <jarel@jpiworldwide.com>
Sent: Friday, August 7, 2020 9:26 AM
To: 'district5_officers@lists.rodeonetworks.com' <district5_officers@lists.rodeonetworks.com>; 'district-13-officers@lists.rodeonetworks.com' <district-13-officers@lists.rodeonetworks.com>
Subject: Look forward to elections and continuing to get players back on the field

Hi All,

Been out of sorts the last couple of weeks as I have had a house flood and am working and living out of hotels! Looks like repairs will take 3-4 months!

Put together (With the help of Western Region) a newsletter for you as Board Members should review and implement in preparation for the 2021 Season.

Stay Healthy and Safe

JP

DA Little League

August is here! In a normal year, district and state tournaments are all but finished, and Region and World Series tournaments would be prime viewing on ESPN’s family of networks. But, as we all know, this has been the farthest from a normal season.

My job as DA is to be supporting leagues through the remainder of the summer and striving to provide the best Little League® experience possible for the rest of 2020 means that now is the time to be proactive. Whether you are in an area that returned to the field, or if your communities were unable to operate a season, I want  to  rally our leagues, and spur activities as we all look toward 2021.

Despite the cancellation of the World Series and Region Tournaments this August, it is expected to be a busy month for leagues as plans are developed that focus on the fall ball season, and/or the newly-launched Little League Sandlot Fun Days. There is so much uncertainty and much to be learned about how to handle the coming weeks of regular season games, fall ball, end-of-season operation, and the activities for 2021. To help guide district staffs, Little League International and its region centers provide this to-do list for your consideration.

Things to Do in August:

· I want to encourage you all to consider the options provided by Little League Sandlot Fun Days. These opportunities can bring those players together in a less-structured environment run by the kids and focused on fun. Review our webinar on Sandlot Fun Days and visit LittleLeague.org/SandlotFunDays for more information.

· Try  to offer ”second season” and fall ball play, and organize a promotional campaign that focuses on the parents of current and future Little Leaguers®. Be sure to notify me if your League is going to play Fall Ball.

· For the coming league season in 2021, I want the  league annual meeting be held remotely. It is recommended to add 10 days to the election procedures and requirements if using the remote approach.

Review what a local league and district budget should include an, whether your league played or not, to begin formulating a financial plan for 2021.

· September 30 is the end of Little League’s fiscal year. Keep in mind your league is required to submit a financial report annually, even if the league did not operate a 2020 season.

· Check out the ready-to-use, year-end survey that has been developed to help local leagues get feedback directly from league parents and volunteers.

· Work with each of the current Board of Directors to review and answer any procedural questions, or provide direction on how to resolve issues that can be crafted into language that the league constitution and bylaws will address going forward.

· Begin preparing your leagues by notifying current League Presidents about the chartering process. And advising them on the use of the Little League Data Center.

As communities continue to find ways to bring Little Leaguers back to the field, it remains vital for local volunteers to adhere to the guidelines set forth by their respective state and local government and health officials in terms of public gatherings, organized youth sports, and sporting events when determining when it is safe to return to Little League activities, or, in some instances, pause their activities, to help keep our communities safe throughout this pandemic.

Little League has developed an extensive collection of resources for local leagues and districts to use as part of its return-to-play initiative. The best practices page on LittleLeague.org and the season resumption guide offer a variety of guidance. Become familiar with this information and apply the direction that best suits your district’s situation on how to prepare to play and begin to play during the summer and fall of 2020.