USA Baseball announces modified schedule

19/05/2020

The COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to impact sports around the world.

USA Baseball announced a modified schedule of events this summer. The revised schedule, created in adherence to the regulations set forth by the federal, state and local governments, is due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The updated schedule is tentatively set to begin with the U-14 Cup from July 24-26 at the National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.

The U-14 Cup and and the U-11/U-13 Futures Series (Irvine, California, August 28-30) are set to take place as originally scheduled.

These other events have been tentatively rescheduled:

• U-17 National Team Championships North Carolina (July 27-30)

• U-14 and U-15 National Team Championships Arizona (July 27-30)

• U-16 and U-17 National Team Championships Arizona (July 31-August 3)

• U-15 National Team Championships North Carolina (August 4-9)

• U-10 Futures Invitational (August 6-9)

• U-16 National Team Championships North Carolina (August 11-16)

• U-11, U-12, U-13 and U-14 NTIS Champions Cup (August 19-23)

• U-15 and U-16 NTIS Champions Cup (August 26-30)

USA Baseball cancelled the following events:

• U-11 Futures Invitational

• U-13/U-14 Athlete Development Program (ADP)

• U-16/U-17 National Team Development Program (NTDP)

• National Team Championships Florida

"As the national governing body for baseball in the United States, we feel it is in the best interest of the thousands of baseball athletes in our country to postpone our return to the field due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic," said USA Baseball Executive Director and CEO Paul Seiler. "We share in the longing for baseball’s return, but we believe it is prudent to continue assessing the situation and finalizing a course of action that prioritizes the overall health and safety of our participants and their families in light of the continued transmission of this disease."

Additionally, USA Baseball continues to work closely with the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) with respect to the international baseball calendar.

Corresponding to the status of the international baseball calendar, USA Baseball has cancelled all U-12 National Team programming events for 2020. Any future events planned for the U-15, U-18, Collegiate and Women’s National Team this year will be announced as necessary.

"USA Baseball fully supports the WBSC and its decision to indefinitely postpone the events on the baseball calendar in an effort to protect our national team athletes at this time," Seiler said. "When the time comes for Team USA to return to the field, we will be ready to continue our longstanding tradition of excellence on the international stage."

The Medical/Safety Advisory Committee has published a free Athlete Preparation Plan that provides a series of at-home exercises aimed to prepare young athletes for their return to the diamond following a prolonged disruption from on-field activity.

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