Area youth sports also see impact from Covid 19

The effects of the Covid 19 virus have left their mark on local sports community.

While PIAA school athletes wait to hear if their seasons will commence if and when schools return, local youth programs wait as well.

Spring often is exemplified by the start of the youth baseball and softball.

Little League International has recommended that all activities remain suspended until May 11 and local Little Leagues are following the mandate along with restrictions placed by Governor Tom Wolf.

“We’re following the school schedule,” said Endless Mountains Little League President Michael Molenko. “We’re using the time to organize our groups, order uniforms, so that when things are cleared, we are ready to go.”

Susquehanna Area Little League President Kim Keyes said her organization is also looking into what to do if the Little League season were to be cancelled all together.

“We’re looking at our options, even to see what would happen if we had as a recreational league not affiliated with Little League,” said Keyes.

Blue Ridge Bombers, a local travel baseball program based out of New Milford has seen their schedule impacted in a variety of ways according to Director Billy Marvin.

“We had games at. The 434 Complex in Vestal cancelled, and it doesn’t look good for our Sunday league in Syracuse that we were going to play in,” said Marvin.

Programs at Riverfront Sports in Scranton where many local youths participate in AAU basketball and recreational soccer leagues have been halted due to the pandemic but Kevin Clark and his organization that recently purchased the business have found ways to adapt.

“We’re trying to keep kids engaged, using all our social media resources to send out training videos,” explained Clark. “Then hopefully when we are given the go ahead, we can pick up immediately.”

Susquehanna Area Little League is offering similar ideas asking members to participate in their challenge on Facebook where players are encouraged to do something baseball related and post it to the league’s Facebook page.

Clark said the effect could be felt with the summer programs offered at the facility.

“Until we know how the school year will be impacted, we won’t know what the effect will be on our summer camp programs,” Clark added.

21 Hoops in Clifford Township is waiting to see how the change in school and other programs scheduled will affect what can be offered in the summer to make up for the lost spring opportunities.