Members of the Cubs, one of Wrangell's little league teams last season. League President Briana Schilling promised that Wrangell would have a baseball season this year, starting in the near future. Pictured here (left to right, top row): Dayne Pritchett, Della Churchill, Vanessa Johnson, Aubrey Wynne, Addy Andrews, Kody Barnes, Katelynn Gillen, Clara Waddington, Ian Maleski, Ben Houser, and Keaton Gadd.
It is springtime in Wrangell. Birds are returning for the warmer weather, fishing season is gearing up, and under normal circumstances little league season would be kicking off right about now. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, little league has been temporarily put on hold. There is no cause for concern though, according to Briana Schilling, as she promises Wrangell kids will get to play baseball in the near future.
Schilling, Wrangell's little league president, said that little league organizations everywhere have been told to not open their seasons for the time being. Little League International, which according to their website operates over 6,500 programs worldwide, has put a suspension on all league activities until May 11. Schilling said that they are counting down the days until then, and are starting to put together plans for what this upcoming season will look like.
There is no set-in-stone start date for this year's baseball season, she said, but it will be in the near future. Some people may be concerned about the health of players and coaches this season, with the pandemic, but Schilling said they are planning to put several precautions in place. Aside from following all state and local guidelines regarding social distancing, she said that they plan to set up hand washing stations out at the fields, and will be disinfecting all equipment and the dugouts regularly. She also said that they will likely not run a concession stand this season. They normally purchase snacks from Costco to fill up the concession stand, but that has proved challenging with the virus. Schilling also said the community might be looking at a shorter season this spring, but this has not been determined for sure yet. It can be difficult to stretch a season into July, but she said they are still considering all their options for the upcoming season.
Last year's season saw about 60 kids participate, not counting the T-ball teams. Schilling said that parents can register their kids to play online at http://www.littleleague.org, on the Wrangell Little League Facebook page, or by contacting her directly at (907) 874-2855. With the late start and a potentially shorter than normal season, Schilling said that there are no fees this year.
"I hope that kids and parents are getting out there and throwing the ball around," she said.
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