As we continue to work through the effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic, and do our part to return to normalcy, we wanted to share a number of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to help your league, district, and community. If there is a question that you don’t see below, and would like some guidance, please contact Little League Support.
As with all activities, and not just limited to youth sports or Little League, there is an inherent risk associated with holding organized events. Little League International continues to provide resources through LittleLeague.org/Coronavirus and the A Safety Awareness Program (ASAP), to help leagues reduce their risk. A series of Coronavirus Mitigation Best Practices for players, participants, and fans can be found at LittleLeague.org/SeasonResumption.
As with any claim, no definitive answer can be made as it would depend on all of the specific allegations against the league and the available coverage would have to be reviewed by the insurance carrier before they could make a decision. Leagues utilizing other insurance should contact their insurance carrier for information on potential exclusions.
Yes. Although official games and practices may not be happening, your coverage, if paid in full, is active and still providing essential coverage for the league.
Little League International would highly encourage you to have a certified lawyer from your state review any waiver prior to signing that documentation. The waiver may include language about release of liability, indemnification, or hold harmless language, and it would be beneficial to understand those implications from a local attorney.
We understand that if you don’t sign that waiver, you may not have access to the facility to hold your Little League activities, which puts your league in a very difficult position to resume play. If your league does sign a waiver from your facility owner, we strongly encourage you to use the language from the waiver to have the parents/guardians of your players and volunteers sign a similar waiver, so that all members of your league are fully supportive of the measures set forth in the waiver your league has agreed to.
Learn more about Little League’s guidance for waivers.
It would be important that all parents/guardians of your players and volunteers sign a similar waiver, and, that for not signing the waiver, they would not be able to participate in any of your league activities.
While the league may only require one parent/guardian to sign a player’s waiver, it’s a best practice for all parents/guardians to understand the waiver as it applies to the player. Each adult volunteer should have their own signed waiver.
Little League International would highly encourage you to have a certified lawyer from your state review any waiver prior to distributing.
Learn more about Little League’s guidance for waivers.
Little League International would highly encourage you to have a certified lawyer from your state review any waiver prior to distributing. That being said, the sample available from Sadler Sports and Recreation Insurance may be a good resource to reference.
Learn more about Little League’s guidance for waivers.
We encourage all local Little League programs to create a mitigation plan to help provide a healthy atmosphere for returning to play. Guidance can be found at LittleLeague.org/2020ReturntoPlay. Those plans should be widely distributed through your website, social media, printed copies for volunteers, etc. For leagues utilizing a release waiver, it is also a good idea to post signs throughout your complex that uses the same language as the waiver and make announcements for the fans in attendance.
It is encouraged that you review any documentation practices in regards to a statute of limitations for similar situations, and retain in a safe, secure location based on your state’s guidelines. It may be beneficial to discuss document retention with a certified lawyer from your state, as well.
Learn more about Little League’s guidance for waivers.