Dear Members, 

I’m sure you’re eagerly awaiting any news about the commencement of the 2020/21 Softball season given the current circumstances around restrictions and government advice toward contact sports and public gatherings. 

The Victorian Government has deemed Softball a contact sport, however due to the amount of personnel needed to operate a Softball game(s), we will be restricted to active competition until the end of October at the earliest. 

The Dandenong Softball Association Committee would like to assure everyone that everything possible is being done to facilitate a start to the season as soon as we are allowed. 

To that end, the SEMR Committee met a few weeks ago, and have made the following recommendations:

- Agreed two speed return to play plan for Juniors and Seniors.
- Modified shortened format competition to be offered to Juniors from 27th November 2021 to Christmas.
- Seniors will return with the traditional format season starting 9th January 2021 and finishing on 27th March 2021.
- Juniors will return to the traditional format season after Christmas at the same time as the Seniors. 
- Fixture and Finals series to be developed, ensuring consideration is given to relevant matters raised.
- A tentative Round Robin over Australia Day Weekend for Seniors. 

Softball Victoria advised that State Championships are likely to be pushed back to at least 1st May 2021, and as you would be aware, all National Championships have been postponed until later in 2021. 

A COVID-19 safe return to play plan, based on State Government directives for use by associations, is being developed and will be implemented at all SEMR Associations. Signage, contact tracing ability and sanitising stations will also be in use. 

Softball Victoria are also engaged in the acquisition of QR Code software to allow for participants to register at a venue and have committed to provision of sanitising stations and signage to associations, facilitating compliance with State Government directives.

As the current environment changes day-to-day, so will the approach from the DSA, we ask all our members to continue to remain safe & healthy at this time and request that we also remain flexible in what we’re expecting from the next 12 months. 

A decision has not been made on fees as yet, however this decision will be made in the coming weeks. 

At this stage, the DSA Executive does not know what the upcoming season will look like in terms of fixtures and teams, the best we can do at this point is be prepared to start on the dates indicated above. 

We want to thank all our members for your continued enthusiasm and commitment to Softball. 
If you have any questions or concerns, or would like to help out in any way, please get in touch with the DSA Executive Committee. 

Kind Regards

Mark Scammell
Secretary
Dandenong Softball Association