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ÅBSK Newsletter Spring 2023

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Link: ÅBSK Newsletter Spring 2023

Rules for practice during COVID-19

Dear members of Århus Baseball Softball Club

I’m pleased to have learned that DIF and DIG are revising the guidelines for outdoor sports and activities. In line with the recommendations from the danish health authorities and the government posted on coronasmitte.dk, we will once again be allowed to play our sport on our field.

DGI and DIF has, for many weeks, worked closely with the danish health authorities in order to get some clarity on how outdoor sports and activities once again can be allowed within the danish associations. 

DIF and DGI has made some general demands on how the activities should be done with the goal of limiting the danger of contamination. Those demands along with the genereal recommendations from the danish health authorities and the government, are included in the practice procedures stated below. It is important that everyone takes responsibility on following the procedure and reminding those at practice that might forget - coaches included:

1. No more than 10 people can be at one practice at once (coaches included)
   To ensure this, it is most important that you sign up on holdsport. If you haven’t signed up and choose to show up as the 11th person - you will be asked to leave again.
   

2. Clubhouse is closed during practice
   That means everyone show up to practice in sports wear. Socializing in the clubhouse after practice is therefore also not allowed.
   

3. Safe distance between players and between players and coaches of minimum 2 meters
   Within this rule, it is clear that tag plays and similar close plays are not allowed.
   

4. Dugouts are not to be used before, during or after practice
   To avoid people getting too close, we are closing down the dugouts. Keep your stuff behind the backstop or up against the fence at 3rd base.
   

5. Sanitize, Sanitize, Sanitize
   Everyone sanitizes before practice begins, during breaks and after practice. If a player or coach touches their face during a drill, they should sanitize immediately as well as sanitize equipment touched after the fact.
   

6. Cough or sneeze in your sleeve/elbow, not your hands
   or facing away from any club members (example: if you’re in the outfield, it might be better to cough out into the air, when no one near, rather than on your clothes)
   

7. Players with any symptoms resembling those of COVID-19 are not allowed at practice
   Symptoms include: dry cough, fever or muscle soreness. Also applies if you experience symptoms during practice.
   

8. Shared equipment should be sanitized before and between use
   Bats, helmets or similar
   

9. All drills should be design for smaller groups
   Coaches are responsible for this

Best Regards
Philip Spielmann Nielsen
Secretary General, Århus Baseball Softball Klub

Statement regarding COVID-19 and Århus Baseball Softball Klub

As the Secretary General of Århus Baseball Softball Klub, I feel the need to make an official statement regarding the COVID-19 Pandemic currently affecting the country as of now.

I’m blind in regards to what is happening in Denmark right now. I feel strongly that we should continue to back up the government in making sure that the virus does not spread faster than the health sector can keep up.

But as a club and sport, we are threatened by the consequences of the government regulations.

All of you already know that the practices have been cancelled and are most likely also wondering when we are going to be playing games again - and although I don’t have the answer, I share the same concerns.

Many of you have paid your membership fees - which is very important and great to see.

But some members are also hesitant to pay membership fees. I would assume because of the uncertainty to how much baseball or softball you will get in return.

As a member of the club, a baseball and softball fan and as a strong supporter of the sports associations in Denmark as a whole, will strongly encourage any hesitant members of the club to pay the membership sooner rather than later.

Think of the membership as what it is: A membership in Baseball and Softball, an investment in the future of Baseball and Softball in Denmark and as of today: as a safety for Århus Baseball Softball Club’s survival.

A club membership in a danish sports association is not a “pay for service”-subscription as you know it from Fitness World or Netflix. Especially smaller associations such as our club. We don’t take any profits - but we invest it right back into the sport and the club.

I’ll gladly set aside time to tell you about all the things we have in plan for the future of this sport in Denmark and also talk about what we had in plan for 2020. It is quite interesting to talk about, to be honest - so don’t hold back.

To those reading this that are not playing members, but still have an interest in supporting the club and the sport: You might be a former player, a parent, friend or maybe just a fan of the game. You have the option to make a difference by signing up as a “Motionist” in our small club.

By signing up as a “Motionist” you’ll be paying a 150 kr.-membership to the club and that money will be used solely on equipment and developing the sport in Denmark. By signing up as a member of the club, you’ll also indirectly contribute with the funding we get from various organizations such as DIF and the municipal, based on the amount of members in the club. You can sign up for a Motionist membership by sending 150 kr. on mobile pay to “box09074” and write in the comment your “first name” and “birth year”.

Soon, the club will also introduce a clothing web-shop where you can buy both Århus-specific merchandise and uniforms, but also logo-free clothes and training apparel. By buying from the web-shop, you’ll indirectly donate money towards buying uniforms for the teams in the club, in the future.

We have to look at every possibility to secure the survival of the club and I hope that you will show your support.

As a bonus info: The Women’s Softball team can join my own online lectures for Softball theory every Wednesday on Cisco Webex.

I know Matthew tried doing the same with the Men’s Baseball team - but sadly no one but me showed up. I’ll encourage Matthew to keep doing it - and encourage you to join the lectures. Not only to gain the knowledge that Matthew has - but also as a great way to meet your team mates, when you can’t meet in person.

This could also be an inspiration to our latino friends in the Aarhus Athletics Baseball team. I’m also working on a way to activate the Juniors during this time and more info will follow.

To close this off - I just want to thank everyone working hard to develop the sport of Baseball and Softball in Århus and in the rest of the country. You are needed more than ever.

Best Regards

Philip Spielmann Nielsen

Secretary GeneralÅrhus Baseball Softball Klub

General Assembly 2020

28. Marts 2020
kl. 10:30-12:30
Cisco Webex online meeting.

OBS: pga COVID-19-situationen, afholder vi generalforsamlingen online.

Følg linket: https://spielmannnielsen.my.webex.com/spielmannnielsen.my/j.php?MTID=m2336a99a5ed1c1889266a6f87954f6ca
Meeting number: 145 760 143
Brug kode: TnJnsgcc372

Alle interesserede, medlemmer og venner af Århus Baseball Softball Klub inviteres hermed til den ordinære Generalforsamling 2020.

Generalforsamlingen bliver afholdt i dokk1’s møderum 2.
På generalforsamlingen skal der godkendes regnskab for 2019, budget for 2020 og stemmes om bestyrelsesposter. Men der skal også diskuteres fremtid og spændende projekter for 2020

Alle medlemmer, forældre, venner af klubben og nysgerrige opfordres til at møde op til dette års Generalforsamling og deltage i starten på det der forhåbentligt bliver endnu et godt år for Baseball og Softball i Aarhus.

Mvh
ÅBSK bestyrelsen.

Invitation for General Assembly 2019

Two days of Fast Pitch Softball in Aarhus

Most people in Denmark has heard about Baseball and most Danes have an idea of what Baseball is. Our experience has been that the same cannot be said about Softball or Fast Pitch Softball as it is called. During last week’s First and last day of the week, Aarhus got to know Softball a little better.

Århus Softball Team - May 21, 2018

The Games

Monday 21 was the first Softball Game Day at the home field in the 2018 season. Last year’s second division winner and the runner up – both from the same club in Odense – came to Aarhus to play two games of Fast Pitch Softball against last year’s last place holder… Århus Softball Team.

It was two exciting games although both where lost and ended early due to the “mercy rule”. However, having in mind that Århus played with a mixed team of completely green players, experienced players and a few “inbetween’ers”, Århus put up a good fight against the two strongest teams in the league.

Most importantly: the team experienced playing a real game together as a team.

At the end of the week, Sunday, Last year’s winner “Oldstars” visited Aarhus once again, but this time the other team playing Århus was not from Odense, but Øksendrup. Øksendrup is the home of “Østfyn Oysters” – the only team Århus Softball Team managed to clear a win against in the 2017 season.

The fact that Oysters where to visit Aarhus, gave some hope to the Århus Team.

The first game against Oldstars was almost a replica of the Sunday before. Few errors, good at bats and Århus was generally playing a good game. Oldstars where simply a better team and therefore took the win once again.

Århus played a fantastic game against Oysters up until the end of the third inning. Århus had the lead and was playing arguably better up until Oysters hit a grand slam home run, which turn the tables on the scoreboard. The score was now 9-11 and although the lead wasn’t too big, it affected the moral of the Århus players.

A few innings later Oysters won on mercy.

It’s not about winning

Although every player on the Århus Team wants to win, it’s not about winning. It’s a work in progress and having a team of new players who needs to learn how to work together as a team takes time. Last season’s softball team was a team that could barely set a line up and played six of their games with only 8 players or less. Not winning games is not a result of failure, but experience learned on the way to victory.