Coginchaug Little League families - thank you for your patience during this challenging time. Earlier today, Governor Lamont announced that select outdoor youth sports, including little league baseball and softball, are tentatively included in the Phase 2 reopening plan beginning on June 20. All activities would be subject to state and local health guidelines, as well as additional protocols adopted by local leagues. Little League International recently published a list of best practices, which would serve as a foundation for leagues moving forward.

As we have seen with the Phase 1 implementation, this is a fluid situation and much can change. For that reason, CLL will continue to evaluate the information provided by government officials and Little League International to determine the next steps for our league. It simply is too early to make any final decisions in light of recent developments, so we ask for your continued patience as we explore the viability of a season this year.

Even if little leagues across the state are permitted to resume activities on June 20, Coginchaug will only participate if we are confident that it is prudent to do so, with sufficient protocols and guidelines in place for the safety of participants and spectators alike. If there is a season, District 9 towns would begin practicing in late June, with games in July and August.

We are in unprecedented times, and this is a sensitive issue for all of us. We understand that, even if there is a season this summer, some players and families will not want to participate for a variety of reasons. To be clear, all players will be permitted to opt-out with no questions asked, and receive either a refund of registration fees or a credit for a future registration. Whether due to coronavirus concerns or other commitments like family travel or summer camps, we understand that this may not work for you. If you know right now that your child is not interested in participating, please email us at . Otherwise, we ask that you continue to monitor events and let us know later in June if your son or daughter would like to opt-out.

We expect to learn more in the coming weeks and will continue to keep you informed of any developments. Until then, thank you again for your patience and your support.

Work continues on the Atwell and Herzog dugouts. Cracks have been repaired and priming has begun on all exposed concrete. Both fields are closed until these improvements are completed.

Looking for comfortable face protection?
Badger activity masks are now available in blue and gray
at our League Store:
 

While official activities remain suspended, CLL continues to work on improving our facilities. New grass has begun to germinate on Atwell and Herzog fields and we recently scraped and power washed all four dugouts at Atwell and Herzog.

Earlier today, Little League International provided an update to all leagues. Unfortunately, the Little League World Series and Regional baseball and softball tournaments have been cancelled for the 2020 season, due in large part to interstate and international travel restrictions. At the same time, leagues across the country will be permitted to resume activities on a state-by-state basis beginning May 11th and participate in district and sectional state tournaments this summer. 

Unlike other parts of the country, Connecticut has been deeply affected by the coronavirus pandemic, so it virtually certain that we will not be resuming activities on May 11. Coginchaug and our neighboring leagues will continue to monitor state and local health mandates to determine if and when baseball and softball activities can resume. While we are hopeful that a 2020 little league season is possible for the many girls and boys of our league, their safety and well-being remain our primary concern. As always, we will continue to keep you updated on any developments during this challenging time.

Quick note to let everyone know that we just had Atwell and Herzog fields rolled and seeded while League activities are suspended. The grass on those fields really needs some work, so they will remain closed for the next month.  If you are looking to get some individual practice in while maintaining social distancing, please use the other Allyn Brook fields or Peckham Park. Thank you very much for your cooperation!
 

A few scenes from our preseason clinics on March 11:

To all Coginchaug Little League families - we hope this update finds you and your loved ones well. When we began spring planning many months ago, we had no idea the havoc that this pandemic would wreak on our country and our community. We hope you are all staying safe and adhering to the social distancing guidelines at this challenging time.

CLL is in a holding pattern as we follow the guidance of Little League International. Earlier this week, they advised us that "we are planning for a return to the Little League fields this season" and are considering a variety of scenarios to resume play, including extending the season later into June and possibly July. Things continue to evolve on a daily basis, but they are hopeful that a partial season can begin later this spring and have urged us to continue the necessary preparations.

As a result, we have begun some much-needed work on Atwell and Herzog fields, which were rolled and seeded this week and will remain closed for the next month. Rosters have been finalized for all softball and baseball teams except T-Ball, and are now available on the league website. Unfortunately, because all league activities are suspended, no practices or meetings can be held for at least the next month.

Uniforms also have been ordered, but design work will not begin until we have confirmation of the season. We were one of the last leagues in Connecticut to place our order and did so only out of necessity, as inventory has become scarce. If the season ultimately must be cancelled, we hope to use these uniforms next year.

If we are fortunate enough to have a season, there sadly will not be an Opening Day ceremony this year. While having hundreds of players and families gather together to kick off the Little League season each spring is a tradition in our community, it simply would not be prudent at this time. We instead hope to begin the season with a slate of games over Memorial Day weekend. While that date is six weeks away, it remains a tentative one. Given the tenuous state of affairs, we can only speculate where we will be a month and a half from now, and the season may well be pushed back further or cancelled altogether.

As we learn more, we will continue to keep you updated. Until then, thank you for your understanding and your support. We wish you all the best in the days ahead and hope to see the boys and girls back on the field later this spring.

In accordance with the latest Little League International guidance, all Coginchaug Little League operations will remain suspended until May 11th at the earliest. The fields will remain closed during this time.

We hope to resume baseball, softball, and T-Ball programs as soon as possible, but our paramount concern remains the safety and well-being of our players and our community.

Coginchaug Little League is now on Twitter - follow us @coginchaugll

The official Coginchaug Little League team store is NOW OPEN! Featuring CLL merchandise in a variety of colors and brands including Under Armour, Nike, Augusta, Badger, Holloway, The North Face and Russell Athletic.

With every purchase, you are making a contribution to our Little League, so wear your CLL gear with pride knowing that you are supporting our program!

https://teamlocker.squadlocker.com/#/lockers/coginchaug-little-league?_k=r06b3s

In early November, Coginchaug Little League's 50/70 intermediate baseball team capped an undefeated fall season with a 15-5 victory in the championship game over Cromwell. Congrats to all coaches, parents, and the following players:

Silas Barrett
Conor Champagne
Ethan Feinberg
Liam Fitzpatrick
Will Fournier
Kevin Fraulino
Jackson Kleczkowski
Ethan Kowal
Luke Poturnicki
Alec Rodrigue
Tyler Ufferfilge
Chase Willett
Matthew Yale