TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2020

THE FIRST WEEKEND OF THE SEASON HAS COME AND GONE, AND BY LOOKING AT THE SCORES, IT LOOKS LIKE EVERYONE WAS READY TO HIT - THERE WERE A COUPLE OF MINOR ISSUES, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED AND WE'RE MOVING ON - JUST A COUPLE OF UPDATES, WHICH WILL BE EMAILED TO THE MANAGERS ALSO, REGARDING THE MASK/SCREEN SUBJECT 

FIRST, THE MASK WE ARE REFERRING TO IS THE PITCHER'S PROTECTIVE MASK, NOT THE COVID-19 MASK - WE ARE NOT REQUIRED TO WEAR THAT MASK WHILE PLAYING

SECOND, ONCE THE PITCHER DECIDES TO USE THE SCREEN, HE MUST USE IT FOR THE DURATION OF THE GAME - IF THERE IS A PITCHING CHANGE, THE NEW PITCHER HAS THE OPTION OF MASK OR SCREEN, WITH THE SAME STIPULATION 

THIRD, WHILE USING THE SCREEN, THE PITCHER MUST GET COMPLETELY BEHIND THE SCREEN AFTER RELEASING THE BALL - HE MAY NOT COME OUT TO MAKE A PLAY UNTIL THE BALL IS HIT - THIS  IS A POINT OF EMPHASIS WITH THE UMPIRES, WHO HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO MONITOR THE SITUATION CLOSELY, AND ENFORCE THIS RULE

REMEMBER, THESE RULES ARE FOR YOUR PROTECTION 

AS ALWAYS, ANY ISSUES THAT ARISE, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR DIVISION CAPTAIN

GOOD LUCK AND STAY HEALTHY 

                       PLAY BALL !!! 

FINALLY - ALL FIELDS ARE CONFIRMED - THE SCHEDULE IS POSTED - LET'S GET OUT THERE !

IF YOU HAVEN'T RECEIVED SOFTBALLS FOR THE SEASON, YOU CAN PICK THEM UP AT ATWOOD AVE FIELD ON SATURDAY, JULY 4th at 10:00 am

DON'T FORGET TO CALL OR TEXT YOUR SCORES IN TO PAUL DANESI @ 401-419-6533 OR EMAIL AT pdanesi1@gmail.com BY 3:00 PM

MANAGERS: DON'T FORGET TO REMIND YOUR TEAM TO FOLLOW THE COVID-19 GUIDELINES THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR OUR SAFETY

THANKS FOR YOUR COOPERATION 

GOOD LUCK

BILL MURPHY 

JUNE 30, 2020

WITH THE GOVERNOR'S ANNOUNCEMENT YESTERDAY OF THE BEGINNING OF PHASE 3 TODAY, WE ARE THAT MUCH CLOSER TO THE BEGINNING OF OUR SEASON ON SUNDAY, JULY 5TH - WE ARE FINALIZING THE SCHEDULE BASED ON FIELD AVAILABILITY, WHICH WE HOPE TO HAVE COMPLETED BY WEDNESDAY NIGHT - WHEN IT IS COMPLETED, EACH MANAGER WILL RECEIVE A TELEPHONE CALL TO CONFIRM TIME AND LOCATION OF THEIR GAMES

WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO REMIND EACH MANAGER THAT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENFORCING THE COVID-19 RULES AND RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED - WITHOUT THEM, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE THE FIELD

THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND COOPERATION 

BILL MURPHY 

June 25, 2020

On Friday, June 19th, the Governor announced the beginning of Phase 3 as July 1st - yesterday, she announced the opening of organized sports in Phase 3, which would allow us to begin our season on July 5th - we are in the process of contacting the cities and towns to find out what we need to do to get on the field - we should know more in a few days 

We are asking the managers to be prepared to play on Sunday, July 5th - please check your roster on the website for accuracy 

We will also be sending a copy of the SSUSA recommendations for COVID-19 social distancing guidelines to the managers, who are responsible for enforcing these rules

Be advised, the schedule is still a work in progress, but all managers will be notified when it is final

As always, more information will be provided as it becomes available 

Thank you for your patience 

Bill M

A tentative schedule for Division 3 and 4 has been entered with the first week scheduled for July 5th.  Playing that week will depend on the Governor allowing adult sports competitions beginning on or before July 5th.

The fields to be used for the entire Division 3 & 4 schedule are in as placeholders.  Fields will be assigned once we have been issued field permits from local municipalities.

Because there are 5 teams in Division 4 there will be a team with a bye every week.  The current schedule of 10 weeks will mean 2 bye weeks for each team.

MAY 29, 2020

BASED ON THE GOVERNOR'S PHASE 2 OF REOPENING RI, WE ARE NOW ABLE TO PRACTICE IN GROUPS OF 15 OR LESS PLAYERS. PLEASE BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES OUTLINED IN THE PLAN WHEN DOING SO.

HOWEVER, WE RECOMMEND NOT PRACTICING ON SUNDAY MORNINGS ON ANY OF THE FIELDS WE HOLD PERMITS FOR, AS THIS COULD LEAD TO PROBLEMS WITH THOSE CITIES AND TOWNS. 

WE ARE CONTINUING OUR EFFORTS TO OBTAIN CLEAR ANSWERS FROM THE ADMINISTRATION ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO BEGIN OUR LEAGUE IN JULY. ANY INPUT YOU COULD PROVIDE WOULD BE HELPFUL. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR DIVISION CAPTAIN WITH ANY INFORMATION.

ALSO, WE HAVE LEARNED THAT THE CAPE COD CLASSIC TOURNAMENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

THANK YOU 

BILL MURPHY

COMMISIONER - RISSL

M0NDAY, MAY 18,2020

BASED ON THE GOVERNOR'S 3-PHASE PLAN FOR THE REOPENING OF THE STATE, THE EXECUTIVE BOARD HAS DETERMINED THAT PHASE 3, WHICH BEGINS THE FIRST WEEK OF JULY, WOULD BE THE MOST LOGICAL TIME TO BEGIN OUR SEASON. THIS PHASE ALLOWS GROUPS OF UP TO 50 PEOPLE TO GATHER, WHILE STILL OBSERVING SOCIAL DISTANCING PROCEDURES. THERE ARE STILL OTHER OBSTACLES TO OVERCOME, BUT WE ARE PREPARING TO ADDRESS THEM AS THEY ARISE.

THE DIVISION CAPTAINS WILL BE CONTACTING MANAGERS REGARDING THEIR ABILITY TO FIELD TEAMS, AND TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO PAY ALL LEAGUE AND PLAYER FEES, WHICH ARE DUE BY JUNE 1, 2020. PLEASE NOTE, THE NUMBER OF PLAYERS ON YOUR ROSTER MUST MATCH THE AMOUNT COLLECTED.

ADDITIONALLY, WE REGRET TO ANNOUNCE THAT OUR OCTOBER BANQUET WILL BE CANCELED FOR THIS YEAR.

MORE INFORMATION WILL BE POSTED REGARDING DIVISIONS, RULE CHANGES, FIELDS, ETC. AT A LATER TIME.

BE ADVISED, THIS IS NOT A GUARANTEE THAT WE WILL START OUR SEASON ON JULY 5TH, BUT WE WILL BE PREPARED.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR DIVISION CAPTAINS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION

BILL MURPHY

COMMISIONER

RISSL

FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020

IN THE MOST RECENT SSUSA NEWSLETTER, THEY HAVE LISTED THE MOST RECENT RULES AND RECOMMENDATIONS IN ORDER TO ADHERE TO THE SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES, WITH THE GOAL OF RETURNING TO THE FIELD 

THE EXECUTIVE BOARD HAS REACHED OUT TO THE CITIES AND TOWNS WHERE WE HOLD PERMITS, INFORMING THEM OF THESE GUIDELINES, AND REQUESTING INFORMATION REGARDING THE LIFTING OF THE RESTRICTIONS ON THESE PERMITS

WE HAVE RECEIVED SEVERAL RESPONSES - HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE ANY SPECIFIC ANSWERS AT THIS TIME 

WE ARE KEEPING THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN WITH THEM, SO THAT WE CAN PASS ALONG THE INFORMATION TO THE MANAGERS 

WE REQUEST THAT THE MANAGERS INFORM THEIR PLAYERS OF THE SITUATION, AND DIRECT THEM TO THE SSUSA WEBSITE TO FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH THESE RECOMMENDATIONS (info@seniorsoftball.com)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL BE POSTED AS IT BECOMES AVAILABLE

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION 

BILL MURPHY 

COMMISSIONER 

RISSL

MONDAY, APRIL 20th, 2020

DUE TO THE INCREASED RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 VIRUS, THE LEAGUE IS STILL UNABLE TO HOLD MEETINGS OR PRACTICE ON ANY FIELDS - DUE TO THIS SITUATION, WE ARE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN OUR SEASON WILL BEGIN - A  DATE WILL BE ANNOUNCED AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE CLEARANCE FROM THE CITIES AND TOWNS INVOLVED

AT THIS TIME, THE EXECUTIVE BOARD IS EXPLORING SEVERAL SCHEDULING OPTIONS, WITH THE GOAL OF MINIMIZING OR ELIMINATING BYES - WHEN A DECISION HAS BEEN MADE, THE MANAGERS OF THE TEAMS INVOLVED WILL BE NOTIFIED, AND THE INFORMATION WILL BE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE 

WE ALSO REQUEST THAT THE MANAGERS INFORM THEIR PLAYERS OF THE SITUATION

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL BE PROVIDED AS IT BECOMES AVAILABLE, AND WILL BE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION 

BILL MURPHY 

COMMISSIONER 

RISSL 

P.O.BOX 17046 SMITHFIELD R.I. 02917