The Boys and Girls of Summer began playing baseball & softball this week at Manitowoc’s Youth Sports Complex.
SeehaferNews.com stopped at Citizen Park Monday night for the opening night of games and spoke with Randy Heinzen, President of the Manitowoc Youth Baseball Association.
“It’s here,” Heinzen said. “We wish opening night would have happened back in the third week of May, but circumstances happened, and opening night is tonight.”
Heinzen explained they’re making adjustments with COVID-19 safety protocols in evidence around the four diamond complex, including limiting the number of players in the dugouts, a full sanitization after each game, and each player will have their own helmet.
As far as the spectators are concerned, Heinzen explained, “We are now advising parents to gather down the left and right field lines in the outfield.” In addition, there’s just one umpire for each game and they’ll be situated behind-the-pitcher’s mound.
One of the 4th & 5th grade boys playing baseball with his friends again was Carson Kaderabek, who is very excited to get back on the field. Carson plays catcher, pitcher and shortstop, and told us “You get some chills sometimes, but when you start playing, you get into it.”
Carson’s Dad, Nathan Kaderabek, is the coach of the Lodel Group minor league team, who said his team has been practicing for about 4 weeks. He spoke of his players, saying, “You can tell they are ready to play games, and are ready to be out on the field.”
Heinzen, meanwhile, said parents who didn’t feel safe about having their kids playing games this summer were given the opportunity to ask for refunds & encouraged to come back next year.
Youth baseball & softball games are being played 4-nights a week at Citizens Park.
