2026 Safety Plan

Each season our elected Safety Officer submits NCLL’s ASAP plan to Little League International. Below is the annual letter to families plus quick links to the core resources you’ll need throughout the year.

Letter from the Safety Officer

Dear NCLL families,

Player safety is our first priority, from Tee through Teen. Our board, coaches, umpires, and volunteers follow Little League International’s A Safety Awareness Program (ASAP) and update our plan every year before Opening Day. That plan includes coach certifications, concussion and abuse-awareness training, heat/lightning protocols, field inspections, and rapid incident reporting.

Thank you for partnering with us: reviewing our safety links, completing required trainings, and helping us keep every practice and game welcoming and secure. If you have questions or see something we need to address, please reach out anytime.

Play hard, be safe, and see you at the Cloverleaf!

Phil Garfin
Safety Officer, North Central Little League
[email protected]

Key Safety Resources

Download the board-approved 2026 Safety (ASAP) Plan submitted to Little League International.

  • Format: PDF
  • Updated:
  • Owner: Safety Officer (Phil Garfin)
Download Plan (PDF, 1.2 MB)

What’s inside

  • Coach certifications and required trainings
  • Field inspection checklist & game-day protocols
  • Incident reporting workflow
  • Weather, heat, and air quality guidance
Download Plan (PDF, 1.2 MB)

Report injuries or near-misses immediately so we can respond, follow up, and document properly.

  • Forms: Incident report
  • Response: Safety Officer & division coordinators
  • Timing: File within 24 hours
Submit a Report Contact Safety Officer

When to file

  • Any injury needing first aid, medical care, or follow-up
  • Near misses that reveal a safety gap
  • Within 24 hours to the Safety Officer
Submit a Report Contact Safety Officer

When in doubt, sit them out. Follow NCLL’s concussion steps and notify the Safety Officer immediately.

  • Action: Remove from play; no same-day return
  • Notify: Safety Officer & families right away
  • Docs: Concussion protocol PDF
Concussion Protocol (PDF) File Incident Report

Return-to-play

  • Medical clearance required before resuming
  • Follow staged activity increase per provider
  • Submit clearance to Safety Officer/coach
Concussion Protocol (PDF) File Incident Report

Follow our go/no-go guidance for lightning and extreme heat so teams stay safe in changing conditions.

  • Lightning: 30/30 rule; clear fields immediately
  • Heat: Hydration + rest; adjust workloads
View Guidelines

Quick thresholds

  • Lightning: 30/30 rule; clear fields & shelters
  • Heat: Hydrate, add shade/rest; shorten innings
View Guidelines

Use our AQI thresholds to decide when to modify, pause, or cancel practices and games for smoke or pollution.

  • Monitor: Local AQI before and during events
  • Protect: Asthma/respiratory plans on file
  • Communicate: Coaches notify families of changes
View AQI Guidelines

AQI thresholds

  • Good/Moderate: Proceed; monitor sensitive players
  • Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: Modify intensity; optional masks
  • Unhealthy or worse: Pause or cancel until air improves
View AQI Guidelines

All on-field volunteers complete annual Abuse Awareness plus any district-mandated safety refreshers.

  • Abuse Awareness: 20–25 minutes, annual
  • Concussion: State-mandated refresher
  • Where: Little League University + state portals
Start Abuse Awareness Concussion Training

Completion checklist

  • Abuse Awareness: 20–25 minutes (annual)
  • Concussion refresher: state-mandated cadence
  • Keep certificates for team staff verification
Start Abuse Awareness Concussion Training