Response to Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) - March 20 Update

On Friday, Baseball Alberta released their latest Covid-19 update and it included a cancellation of all Baseball Canada and Baseball Alberta activities until April 30, 2020. There are still a lot of questions to be answered about start dates for both minor baseball and senior baseball in the province, and it is expected that Baseball Alberta will continue to work with Alberta Health Services guidelines to make the best possible decision. 

You can read the full March 20, 2020 update below or by visiting the Baseball Alberta website. The Powerline Baseball League is still expected to hold their annual Spring Meeting on Tuesday March 24, however the league will more than likely host the meeting online to follow current guidelines around gatherings. 

Baseball Alberta is suspending all sanctioned activities until April 30, 2020.

We have been in discussions with Baseball Canada and the other provinces regarding the impact of the COVID-19 on the upcoming 2020 baseball season.  We have been collectively considering the best information available from our national and provincial health authorities on how best to manage activities in this unprecedented time.  Baseball Canada has advised that all sanctioned baseball activities are suspended until at least April 30, 2020. 

Specifically, Baseball Canada has postponed or cancelled the following four events on the pre-season calendar:

• NCCP Competition-Development Coach Workshop, Florida
• Junior National Team Spring Training, Florida
• National Umpire Committee Meeting, Toronto
• National SafeSport Meeting, Ottawa

Baseball Canada is investigating options to deliver NCCP coach clinics online.  We will share more information on this as it becomes available. 

The term "sanctioned" is an important term that we use in these communications as it pertains to our sport insurance policy.  Please note that any Member that chooses to continue with baseball related activities during this time would be doing so unsanctioned, at their own risk, and without insurance coverage in place.  This would also apply to athletes participating in private training activities outside the programs of our Member Associations.

All in-person Baseball Alberta League meetings are cancelled as part of the suspension of sanctioned activities.  However, we are looking at options to conduct our pre-season league meetings in April via conference call.

Baseball Alberta recognizes that this decision will result in many questions regarding the status of the 2020 house league / community and competition seasons.  While we do not have all the answers to these questions, Baseball Alberta is working with its members and peers to determine the best path forward with protecting the health and safety of our participants - players, coaches, and umpires - as our highest priority.

Please stay tuned to our website for further updates as they are available.