Columbia Parks and Recreation begins to slowly reopen for sports

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia Parks and Recreation began the slow reopening of fields and courts on Monday after COVID-19 halted all play.

Columbia Parks and Recreation has developed set rules and regulations for the slow reopening of sports while adhering to social distancing guidelines.

Joey Wilmes, Columbia Parks and Recreation's sports programming recreation supervisor, said the department's hope is that when the next phase of the Columbia/Boone County reopening order comes out, competitive sports and team organized sports can come back.

Wilmes said planning and prepping for sports to come back is in the works right now, but Columbia Parks and Recreation doesn't know what will and what won't be allowed.

Wilmes said the city is planning on all of its sports to come back the week of June 8. That includes starting the youth baseball leagues with Diamond Council, as well as its adult softball and kickball leagues.

Wilmes said parks and rec will know more in the coming weeks.

The department started reopening some of its facilities Monday afternoon for practices to begin.

"We're allowing our fields and our courts to be rented," Wilmes said. "As long as the teams adhere to the social distancing guidelines."

During the practices, only 10 or fewer people are allowed per quarter or per field, while maintaining 6 feet of distance between them.

Wilmes said there are different guidelines depending on each sport, but no games or scrimmages are allowed for any sport as of now.

Columbia Parks and Recreation guidelines for basketball include:

• each player is supposed to use their own ball
• if sharing a ball they're supposed to sanitize the ball between each of use
• one ball can be shared by four or fewer players
• shooting drills and dribbling drills activities are allowed
• 10 people allowed on court at one time
• maintain 6 feet distance between players and coaches

Guidelines for baseball and softball include:

• wipe down the ball between each use
• hitting drills, fielding and throwing drills
• if sharing a bat or helmet, sanitize between each person
• 10 people allowed on each field at one time
• maintain 6 feet distance between players and coaches

Guidelines for soccer include:

• 10 or fewer people are allowed on the field at once
• if a ball is picked up at any point, it must be sanitized before being put back into play
• dribbling drills and passing drills with the soccer ball are allowed
• maintain 6 feet distance between players and coaches

Maybe they hit a ball to a player, he takes the grounder, drops the ball in a bucket and then, after all of the balls have been hit they sanitize all the balls and do it all over again," Wilmes said.

Wilmes said Columbia parks and rec asks that all parents stay in their cars to not pile around fields watching practice.

Players are asked to have their own individual water bottles or coolers during practice.

Wilmes said after games start back up, baseball and softballs will be sanitized after every half-inning to help minimize the number of touchpoints between multiple people.

Wilmes said right now the sports facilities are available to be rented through Memorial Day weekend.

"We're hoping in the coming week or two we will find out some more information," Wilmes said. "And we will know a little bit more as to if we're able to have games going forward and what that will look like and then we'll make a decision for the week following Memorial Day."

Wilmes said Columbia parks and rec facilities are sanitized regularly and hand sanitizers are available around the facilities.

"We're doing everything in our part to be able to get sports back going and still keep everybody safe at the same time," Wilmes said.  

Kerry Bush, a Missouri competitive girls softball coach said the team has set their own regulations to help maintain social distancing while getting back into the new practice guidelines.

“There will be no use of the dugout," Bush said. "When girls get there to practice they will spread their gear out at the standard set a safe distance."

The team plans to sanitize the balls before and after practice, and all players will use their own equipment.

"There's no sharing of any equipment whatsoever,” said Bush.

In order to follow the 10 players per field limit Bush said that coaches have discussed splitting the players up into split practice groups so all players are able to practice. 

Bush said having one group practicing hitting drills in a batting cage while the others are on the field is one way to follow the guidelines.

Bush said his players are ready to do some sort of team activity and see their friends again. 

“I think the girls are excited," Bush said. "For them in a lot of situations, these aren't just their teammates, these are some of their closest friends that they're used to seeing multiple times a week and every weekend, and, you know, we've been very limited on what we've been able to do.”