March 6, 2013
Dear District Administrators, League
Presidents and League Officials:
It's March, and in many
places the 2013 Little League season has begun. Now is the time to do all you
can to ensure the safety and well-being of your Little Leaguers. To assist in
accomplishing your safety goals, here are some dates to keep in
mind.
Safety Plan Deadlines
and Incentives
- March 13 is the Early
Bird/District Incentive deadline for safety plans to be received and approved at
Little League International. Some districts may have earlier requirements -
start dates vary around the country and by state, and plans should be
implemented before the beginning of the season.
- April 1 is the final
deadline for submitting your hardcopy ASAP safety plan to Little League
International. As in years past, all safety plans must be submitted in hardcopy
form, and must be postmarked by April 1 to meet the filing deadline. Electronic
submissions are not accepted.
Background
Checks
All leagues must
conduct, at a minimum, a national search (all 50 states) that includes the
Department of Justice's nationwide sex offender registry.
Leagues must use the
official Little League Volunteer Application - 2013 form completed by all
volunteers who fit the requirements.
Anyone who provides
regular services to the league and/or have repetitive access to, or contact
with, players or teams must fill out an official Little League Volunteer
Application form as well as provide a government-issued photo identification
card for ID verification.
Little League International currently
provides each league 125 free criminal background checks per year, provided
through LexisNexis. Check the Little League website for more on LexisNexis and
the 125 free checks.
To assist you
in providing the highest possible level of safety and injury prevention, a basic
sample of an accepted ASAP plan is available here.
Remember, if a local
league does not submit an ASAP plan that is approved by Little League
International, and an injury occurs to one of your league's players or
volunteers, subsequent legal proceedings may require your league to explain why
no formal safety plan was implemented.
If your district intends
to host any Little League International Tournament games above the district
level, by Little League Tournament rule, the host league must have an approved
ASAP plan. Also remember that ASAP plans must be implemented before the season
starts in order to qualify as an approved plan for the current year, and to help
reduce the possibility and severity of injuries in the league.
For assistance, or answers on how to
organize a safety plan, or to increase your district's participation in ASAP
through hosting an ASAP meeting or Little League Road Show, contact Jim
Ferguson, Little League International's Assistant Director of Risk Management,
Safety, at: 570-326-1921, ext. 2212; or e-mail: jferguson@LittleLeague.org.
Sincerely,
Little League International
P.O. Box 3485
539 US Route 15
Hwy
Williamsport, PA 17701-0485
Phone:
570-326-1921
Fax:
570-326-1074
Welcome 