WBMBA Update – Jan. 26, 2021

Hello Wasaga sports families!! Normally by this time in the year we would have had our first registration for 2021, but as you know, nothing has been ‘normal’ for the past 10 months.

The WBMBA did not hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the fall, as there was not much to report from the 2020 season. When the original shutdowns due to COVID-19 were put in place, we were halfway through registration, and as you know, there was no house league baseball played in most of Ontario last season. Full refunds were given to those who registered.

Our league has a good supply of equipment and uniforms, as well as money in the bank, so we are better positioned to move forward than some other centres. The excellent work of the executives from the past 7+ years has made us strong!

Last week, the South Simoce Minor Baseball Association (SSMBA) held their first meeting since last fall. We are currently continuing in our ‘wait and see’ approach across the SSMBA. If things improve and some sort of baseball season develops, registrations will be last minute (anywhere from March to May, potentially) and rules and deadlines will be more relaxed. For example, uniforms usually take many weeks to order, so centres with incomplete or missing uniforms will not face any repercussions. Details on these types of rule adjustments will be discussed early in the spring.

If on-field activities are allowed to move forward this season, we hope to move ahead, given that vaccinations are underway and that we have an increased understanding of the risks. These decisions would have to be voted on by an executive.

The WBMBA would like to hold an AGM in some form in the coming weeks or months. We are not sure what form this may take – in-person if possible, either indoors or outdoors, online or by posting information/nominations and holding an online vote of some type. We will wait and see what the environment will look like in the coming weeks. For now, the executive from last year will stay in place until an AGM can establish the new council. If anyone is enthusiastic enough to want to jump aboard, things can be discussed.

If you are interested in being part of the WBMBA executive, email wasagabeachbaseball@gmail.com.

As we get closer to spring, we will share more information as it becomes available.

If you registered for baseball last year and still have the pants you received at registration, please email wasagabeachbaseball@gmail.com so that we can arrange to have them returned.

Stay safe!!
Mike Moore
President – WBMBA

WBMBA 2020 season cancelled

The executive of the Wasaga Beach Minor Baseball Association (WBMBA) has officially cancelled all baseball activities for the summer of 2020.

This decision was not made lightly. We waited for information from the Ontario Baseball Association (OBA) and York-Simcoe Baseball Association (YSBA), among others, to make this decision. Many centres had previously cancelled their seasons, including larger centres like Collingwood, Orillia and Bradford.

When Premier Ford announced that we were entering Phase 2 and that team sports could resume on-field training, there was some hope of baseball this year. The OBA released a Return To Sport Protocol that associations had to adopt, unless they created their own, stricter policies. The OBA protocols are very stringent. Last week, the YSBA met with all the presidents of local baseball centres for final input. Following that meeting, they voted to cancel any baseball competition within the YSBA’s scope until September. This effectively put an end to the chance of playing any games this season, even if the province further eases restrictions.

Following that decision, the WBMBA executive voted on the fate of our season. The motion to cancel all baseball activities for the 2020 season passed 13-0, with one abstention and two non votes.

This decision is disappointing to all of us, especially given that we were expecting a banner year for the WBMBA.

Refunds have begun via etransfer, starting with T-ball and working up by division. If you have multiple children registered, the refunds will be processed separately.

The executive is working on a plan for the return of pants for those families who picked them up at registration. We will share that process as it becomes available.

I’d like to thank everyone for their patience. I would also like to remind you that the diamonds are open to the public, and I encourage families and friends to get out there and practice. If you choose to practice, please be mindful of the government policies on social distancing and sanitizing. Take all appropriate precautions given that there may be other using the diamonds before or after you.

Finally, stay safe – hopefully we will beat this thing and come back stronger in 2021!

Best Regards,

Mike Moore
President – WBMBA

Important info regarding the 2020 season

The WBMBA executive has made the decision to cancel the original 2020 season as planned. We are working to deliver refunds to all families that have registered, and will begin processing them the week of June 8. Please allow time for the refunds to be processed before contacting the league. Refunds will be processed as etransfers to the email address we have on file.

We continue to wait on direction from the Ontario Baseball Association (OBA) and other groups, including the Town of Wasaga Beach, to determine if we will be able to hold a modified baseball season. If there is a modified season available, we will restart with a fresh registration and detailed view of how it will happen.

The OBA has released a draft protocol for return to play that outlines the initial protocols that would be put in place in order for baseball to happen. It is not a final draft and may change. Please review the document, as it contains important information for players, families and baseball associations.

May 27 Update

The Ontario Baseball Association (OBA) has extended their ‘no in-person baseball activities ban’ until June 15, 2020. In order to keep baseball leagues and families up-to-date, they have released a video series.

At this time, the OBA, York Simcoe Baseball Association, South Simcoe Minor Baseball Association, WBMBA and the Town of Wasaga Beach have not made any final decisions regarding the 2020 season. We are hoping to receive more information from these organizations in the coming days.

In the event of the season being cancelled, full refunds will be provided via etransfer, and a drop-off procedure for baseball pants will be established.

If you have any questions or concerns, please email us directly at wasagabeachbaseball@gmail.com.

In-person registration sessions March 14 and 28 cancelled

Please note that the registration sessions on March 14 and 28 have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Information on how to register for the upcoming season will be shared here and on our Facebook page as soon as details are available. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time.

Registration at Superstore March 14 image

Time is running out to register for Wasaga Beach minor baseball!

Join us at the Wasaga Beach Superstore on March 14 from 1 to 4 p.m. to register your player for the upcoming baseball season. We’re looking for new and returning players for all divisions, especially 15U (formerly Bantam – born in 2005 or 2006).

More information, including registration costs for each division, is available here: https://wasagabeachbaseball.ca/registration/. Download and print the registration form to get a head start on the paperwork before you come!

We look forward to seeing you there – let’s go, Whitecaps!

POSTPONED: Please note that the WBMBA registration, planned for March 7 at the Wasaga Beach Superstore, has been postponed. It will be rescheduled at a later date and shared on our website and Facebook page. There is still a registration session scheduled for March 28 from 12-4 p.m. at the Wasaga Beach Superstore.

More information, including registration costs for each division, is available on our website: https://wasagabeachbaseball.ca/registration/.

Umpires needed for 2020 season!

Are you interested in spending some time at the ball diamond this summer, and getting paid for it?

The WBMBA is looking for umpires for games in the 7U to 15U divisions. Umpires must be at least 12 years old, or turn 12 during their first year of umpiring. Interested individuals must complete a one-day course, provided by Baseball Ontario, at their own cost. A full rule book and on-field training will also be provided. All WBMBA umpires are paid on the day(s) they umpire.

For more information, contact the WBMBA’s Umpire-in-Chief, Bob Jackson, at 705-429-6332 or kcajob89@gmail.com.

POSTPONED!

Time is running out to register for the 2020 Wasaga Beach Minor Baseball Season!

Join us at the Wasaga Beach Superstore on March 7 from 12 to 4 p.m. to register your player for the upcoming baseball season. We’re looking for new and returning players for all divisions, from T-Ball (must be 3 by May 1, 2020) up to 15U (born in 2005 or 2006). Parents of 14 or 15 year olds, make sure to register your players to ensure that we field a team in this division for 2020!

Don’t wait – space is limited!

Register Feb. 19 – last chance for the early bird discount!

Join us at the Wasaga Beach RecPlex on Feb. 19 from 6-8 p.m. to register your player for the upcoming baseball season. We’re looking for new and returning players for all divisions, from T-Ball (must be 3 by May 1, 2020) up to 15U (born in 2005 or 2006). Don’t wait – space is limited!

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WBMBA – WASAGA BEACH MINOR BASEBALL ASSOCIATION