Sen. Toomey, panel of officials encourage return for youth baseball, softball leagues

While MLB haggles over the start of its season, efforts also are being made to get youth sports — namely baseball and softball — back on the field.

Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Lehigh Valley, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee Subcommittee on Healthcare, held a virtual roundtable Thursday about youth baseball and softball leagues resuming safely this summer.

With Little League International, Pony League, American Legion baseball and other organizations already canceling seasons, Toomey and his panel said it’s important to get children out of the house and playing sports.

The panel discussing the importance of, and best practices for, youth sports included Little League President Stephen Keener, Stanford professor Jay Bhattacharya, MLB’s Baseball and Softball Development program director Tony Reagins, former Phillies all-star Jimmy Rollins and softball superstar Jennie Finch.

They all talked about the importance of getting children to play under safety guidelines.

“I was apprehensive before the first practice,” Finch said. “But to see my 8-year-old so excited about the first day of practice and watching the guidelines we followed relieved my fears.

“We were looking forward to getting back on the field. Isolation is not good for children.”

Finch, an Olympian, lives with her family in Louisiana.

“Kids need interaction,” Rollins said. “The joy on their faces when we went to practice was priceless.”

Little League International released guidelines for best practices on organizing, playing and watching Little League baseball and softball during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’ve been working with health officials from the state and the CDC to find solutions to return to the final,” said Keener, whose organization had to cancel this year’s Little League World Series. “We want to show leagues and organizations that it can be done if you follow the guidelines. We encourage people to visit our website.

“We knew little league is important to the communities. We can’t wait to get the kids back on the field.”

More than half of Pennsylvania counties are still under the “yellow phase” as dictated by Gov. Tom Wolf and the state department of health. Youth sports will not be permitted to restart until host counties are moved into the “green phase.”

The panel encouraged leagues and districts 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 activities.

This is perceived good news for some local leagues hoping to have some sort of season.

West Point Little League President Tom Rennie said they are hoping to get started in late June or early July. American Legion Region 7 director Jason Bush said he has between 40 and 50 teams from Allegheny, Beaver, Bedford, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland counties ready to play in a makeshift league.

“It’s going to be a challenge, but resuming youth sports is good for children,” said Toomey, who resides in Zionsville, Lehigh County and has a 10-year-old eager to play.

“The big question is how do we know if youth sports in safe and how do we bring it back? We know in Pennsylvania that our hospitals have not been overwhelmed by the virus, and we know it probably won’t be overwhelmed.”

Bhattacharya said there is research that says the virus diminishes outside in sunny, warm weather.

“Baseball and softball is a time-honored tradition,” Toomey said. “It should be provided for the youth. Children are far less likely to pass on the virus.”

Reagins, who is the former general manager of the Los Angeles Angels, said children want to play.

“They want to be with their friends and teammates,” Reagins said. “Because of economics, we may see resurgence in community leagues. The coronavirus has had an impact financially on families. Ultimately, it will be the parents making the decisions.”