Consistent with Governor Baker’s announcement that schools are closed for the rest of the year, sadly the 2020 spring season has been cancelled. News about summer and fall seasons will be announced as information becomes available. As previously mentioned, sponsors, uniforms and equipment purchased are all being rolled over to spring 2021. Absent our hearing from you, we will roll your 2020 spring registration over to spring 2021. While doing so is very helpful for logistical purposes, we recognize that the approach isn’t ideal for everyone and we will mail a refund to anyone who would prefer it. If you would like a refund, please write brianmcdonald508@gmail.com. If you roll your registration over and for some reason your son or daughter doesn’t play next spring, we will process a refund then. Thank you for all of your support during a challenging time and please stay healthy and safe.

Hopefully everyone is healthy and safe as we deal with unprecedented times. HYBSA continues to follow state and local advisories and is paying close attention to school schedules and news from the MIAA, with the safety and wellbeing of our children our top priority. Just to confirm, there will be no parade on 5/3 and this year’s raffle has been cancelled. If you have sold tickets, please return the money and explain.

While the outlook isn’t overly optimistic for a spring season, we are preparing for three scenarios.

1. If we get incredibly lucky and the 5/5 school reopen date isn’t extended, we would start the spring season then and could extend the season as late as 6/21. In essence, the season would be the same length, just starting and ending later than usual.
2. If our start date were extended to a date between 5/5 and Memorial Day, we would attempt to play an abbreviated season, again ending on or about 6/21.
3. If closures extend beyond Memorial Day, a spring season is unrealistic.

These plans are general, recognizing that coordination is needed when inter-town play is involved. In some instances, that communication has already taken place and some summer tournaments have already agreed to adjust their timelines.

In terms of registration fees, HYBSA is fortunate to have the financial security to cover the expenses associated with uniforms and equipment already purchased. As a result, nobody will be asked to pay for a season that doesn’t take place. If the season is abbreviated, we will coordinate a prorated refund that represents our decrease in expenses and if the season is cancelled, refunds will occur. The only challenge is manpower, as our treasurer is one person who probably didn’t expect that type of workload when she signed up for the job… Nonetheless, we will figure out how to make it work in an organized fashion.

On a positive note. HYBSA graduates and now high school athletes, Owen McCarron, Max Israel and Lucy Mauro were generous enough to create the attached links as a resource for the kids. The first link covers throwing, hitting and fielding and although the boys are using a baseball, the drills apply to baseball and softball equally. The second video is softball specific as Lucy does a great job covering pitching. These three are great role models and we are very appreciative of their thoughtfulness.

Baseball https://youtu.be/2OpTwzQTifE

Softball https://youtu.be/54PUKVa-oMQ

Thanks again for your patience and understanding as we all wait and see. Thank you to all of you who offered your support in a variety of ways, its greatly appreciated.

It’s certainly been a crazy stretch and while youth sports may rank low on the list of life events being disrupted, we thought we would provide an update. It goes without saying that the remainder of the indoor clinics have been cancelled. From there, very little is certain. In short, we are preparing for best and worst case scenarios simultaneously.

If anyone needs additional confirmation that we live in an incredible community, we reached out to our sponsors this week, who couldn’t have been more supportive. Collectively they are committed to this season if we have one and if we don’t they will roll their sponsorship over to next year. As a result, we are finalizing uniforms that will either be put to use this spring or will be put in storage until spring of 2021.

Most importantly, we at HYBSA hope you and families are all safe and healthy. Don’t forget to throw the ball in the yard. Hopefully we need those arms warmed up sooner rather than later!

This year we are doing a cash raffle as our fund raiser. Each ticket is $25 and gives the buyer a chance at winning one of two (2) $1000 prizes. We will be drawing the winners on 2 separate dates. The first $1,000 drawing will happen on May 3rd, immediately following the Opening Day Parade. The second $1,000 drawing will be between the Minors and Majors Championship games on June 7th at Flagg Field.

HYBSA provides over 350 children with the ability to participate in youth sports each year.  We rely on fundraising to maintain the fields, purchase equipment and to support our “no kid left behind” program where we reduce or waive registration fees to ensure that any child in Holliston is offered the opportunity to participate.

Attached, please find a list of all sponsorship opportunities.  All of these sponsorships offer a great opportunity to advertise your business while showing support for the town and youth sports.

Thank you for your consideration and support of Holliston Youth Baseball and Softball. 

Jamie Ross, HYBSA Fundraising Director

jrossox@yahoo.com

617-921-8334