The championship game of the New Jersey Last Dance World Series, a statewide tournament for recently graduated seniors and high school-aged players, will be contested at Arm & Hammer Park in Trenton, home of the New York Yankees' Double A affiliate.
More than 220 teams are expected to participate in the tournament, which will run from July 14 through July 31.
As USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey previously reported, starting on July 13, high school coaches will be permitted to coach Last Dance tournament teams, a fact the NJSIAA on Tuesday unequivocally clarified.
Until then, parents or volunteers will lead practices in preparation of pool play, which will be contested July 14-16 at what tournament organizers hope will be 64 host sites (nearly 60 such venues have already been secured).
The event, which the United States Specialty Sports Association, a Florida-based nonprofit governing body, has agreed to sanction, is not affiliated with the NJSIAA or any of the statewide athletic association’s member schools.
The NJSIAA's recently released return-to-play guidelines for high school student-athletes have no bearing whatsoever on youth sports, which fall under the jurisdiction of separate safety protocols Governor Phil Murphy's administration delineated last week.
The Last Dance is considered a youth sporting event. As such, participating teams are prohibited from using school-issued equipment and uniforms. The tournament will follow national federation on-field rules.
High school coaches cannot have in-person contact with their student-athletes until July 13, which marks the new start date for the NJSIAA's summer recess period. On that date, coaches can officially take over the reins of Last Dance tournament teams from parents and volunteers.
“This year, because of COVID, the NJSIAA has determined that the summer recess period will tentatively start on Monday, July 13," the NJSIAA said in a statement provided to USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey. "It will last through August 31. High school coaches are allowed to coach their own-student athletes during this summer recess period. The NJSIAA has no jurisdiction over youth, recreation or club sports, or non-school sponsored high school-level athletics during the summer recess period. This would include events such as the Last Dance baseball tournament."
Mike Murray, the head baseball coach at St. Joseph High School in Metuchen, who founded the Last Dance, is working with a team of event organizers to break the field into North and South regions. The tournament will be seeded later this week.
The Sweet 16 and Elite Eight rounds for the North and South regions will be contested July 21 and July 22. The North and South semifinals and finals are slated for July 28 and July 29. The overall tournament championship will be played July 31 at the home of the Trenton Thunder.
The single-elimination round games of the tournament will be contested at the home stadiums of independent and minor league teams including the Somerset Patriots (TD Bank Ballpark), Sussex County Miners (Skylands Park) and Lakewood Blue Claws (FirstEnergy Park).
The North championship trophy of the New Jersey Last Dance World Series will be named after Ben Luderer, in memory of the late Cliffside Park High School baseball coach, whose life the coronavirus claimed. Luderer was the starting catcher for the 2008 Don Bosco Prep baseball team that finished 33-0 and which multiple news organizations crowned national champions. He was 30 years old at the time of his passing on March 30.
Tournament officials have a namesake in mind for the South championship trophy, but are awaiting approval to make a formal announcement.
Earlier this month, Murphy announced youth baseball teams in New Jersey could commence non-contact practice on June 22 and start playing games on July 6.
All players, coaches, and umpires must adhere to the protocols and guidelines Murphy's administration delineated for youth sports, which include health screenings, temperature checks and other safety measures.
Youth sport guidelines appear in their entirety below. Our story continues beneath that embdedded doucment.
The Last Dance will follow the construct of the NCAA College World Series.
Senator Paul Sarlo, D-Bergen, endorsed the tournament, stating he likes the idea of current graduating seniors being afforded an opportunity to take the field one final time with their high school teammates.
Murray said he fully understands some school districts will likely not be able to permit players to utilize any of their fields, forcing Last Dance participants to train and play games at any municipal or recreation facilities that may be open to the public.
“Boards of education have bigger things to worry about, like getting kids and teachers in the building and trying to do that safely in the fall,” Murray said, noting tournament organizers have provided entrants with information they need to appeal to town and recreation department officials regarding applications for field use.
Sarlo, who is the mayor of Wood-Ridge, said his town’s high school baseball coach, Michael Carcich, has already garnered support from the borough’s recreation program.
“I am hopeful towns will work with their high school coaches and be supportive and give the kids an opportunity to play baseball on some of their rec fields,” Sarlo said.
Sarlo said he will serve as a volunteer coach with Wood-Ridge's entry in the tournament until Carcich is permitted to join the team.
Murray said he expects players to be creative, using outdoor batting cages, which Murphy’s administration permits, and other available open space to practice and throw bullpen sessions in preparation of the tournament.
Most players have been working out on their own since the spring scholastic sports season came to an abrupt halt in the middle of March due to the pandemic.
Players will not be allowed to share personal gear, beverages or snacks. They must use sanitizer to clean their hands during practices and games and are not to share rides with teammates to those activities. Players will not be required to wear face coverings while practicing or competing, but coaches and officials are encouraged to wear a mask when in close proximity of players.
Murray’s committee of more than a dozen baseball coaches is working with athletic training companies to ensure medical personnel will be on location at every host site.
His committee has established an emergency action plan for each host location and secured a sponsor to cover the cost of infared thermometers to take the temperature of all participants, coaches and umpires.
Streaming services will be available from some sites, championship rings will be provided to the region and overall tournament winners, and pool play has been amended to provide for an extra hitter and free defensive substitution, making it easier for coaches to manage their rosters.
"We want to use baseball as a sanctuary in a return to our new normal that is hopefully coming this summer," Murray said.
Email: gtufaro@gannett.com
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