The return-to-play guidelines Gov. Phil Murphy unveiled Monday for youth sports will allow a statewide baseball tournament for high school-aged players to proceed as planned.
With Murphy permitting youth baseball teams to commence practice on June 22 and clearing them to start playing games on July 6, the New Jersey Last Dance World Series can be contested, according to St. Joseph High School of Metuchen head baseball coach Mike Murray Jr., who devised the tournament.
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The event, which the United States Specialty Sports Association, a Florida-based nonprofit governing body, has agreed to sanction, will follow the construct of the NCAA College World Series with games being contested next month in multiple rounds.
Murray said all players, coaches, and umpires must adhere to the protocols and guidelines Murphy's administration delineated, which include health screenings, temperature checks and other safety measures.
More than 200 teams have already expressed interest in participating in the tournament, which is scheduled to commence with pool play on July 14 at up to 32 host sites.
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 in an event that is not affiliated with the NJSIAA or any of the statewide athletic association’s member schools.
Murray and several other high school coaches who collaborated on tournament details were thrown a curveball with the NJSIAA announcing last week that the summer recess period would be pushed back to the middle of July due to the coronavirus pandemic.
As a result, high school coaches cannot have in-person contact with their student-athletes until on or around July 13, meaning volunteers or parents will be charged with organizing and running practices from June 22 through the middle of July.
The NJSIAA said late Monday afternoon, Murphy's "announcement was "another positive step''.
“The governor’s announcement today regarding youth and recreation sports is another positive step in our collective effort to return to play,'' the association said in a statement. "It’s important to note however, that while these particular guidelines are instructive, they don’t directly apply to high school athletics.
"Any scholastic sports program is part of the overall curriculum, and so must be appropriately in sync with all other facets of the school. High school athletics cannot function independently from schools – which, of course, are currently focused on the safe return of more 1.3 million students, including 283,000 high school student-athletes. In short, scholastic sports present far more pressing and complex considerations than do youth and recreation-level programs.''
"As previously announced, we anticipate having guidelines for high school sports by June 19, with summer workouts starting on or around July 13. NJSIAA strongly believes that with summer workouts starting in July, student athletes will have more than enough time to prepare for the fall season.”
Coaches can resume interacting with their student-athletes once the NJSIAA provides a start date for the summer recess period, which is expected to coincide around the start of the Last Dance tournament.
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 will provide 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.
“The Wood-Ridge rec has approved the high school-aged baseball team to enter the Last Dance," Sarlo said. "I will be particapting in coaching the team up until if and when the high school coaches are permitted to have (in-person) contact.”
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.
Murray will conduct a video conference this week with coaches from across the state who expressed interest in participating in the Last Dance. The meeting is designed to be an information session, which Murray will follow up with specific details in writing.
“We want to arm them with the information they need for the event to run smoothly and safely,” Murray said.
Sarlo said the participating teams must adhere to NJSIAA rules, such as those that prohibit the use of school-issued equipment and uniforms.
“They cannot violate or step on any of the NJSIAA rules,” Sarlo said. “No coaches can be getting themselves in hot water.”
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.
Since unveiling his tournament proposal less than three weeks ago, Murray has already made tremendous strides.
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, anticipating one of Murphy’s possible safety measures could include taking 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.
Under his proposal, Murray has divided the state into North and South regions.
The North will include teams from Bergen, Hudson, Passaic, Somerset, Monmouth, Ocean, Union, Middlesex, Hunterdon, Warren, Sussex, Essex and Morris counties.
The South will include teams from Burlington, Atlantic, Cumberland, Cape May, Camden, Gloucester, Mercer and Salem counties.
Email: gtufaro@gannett.com
Contributing: Darren Cooper
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