Message about Hastings Recreation Basketball Program

Dear players (past and present) and families of Rec Ball players,

What a tumultuous, treacherous 21 months this has been! On the one hand it seems like yesterday that we had to end the 2019-2020 season with only two weeks left and on the other hand, it seems like it has been eons since we last had the pleasures of a rec ball season.

Missing the 2020-2021 season was a no-brainer as the vaccine was not readily available and thus school was largely remote. Jodie and I were resigned to that fact but looked forward to starting again this Fall.

Over the summer, however, as the Delta variant took hold and the rates of infection for non-vaccinated people have soared, we’ve had to reconsider. At least two-thirds of the players in the Program are under the age of 12 and thus non-vaccinated. To have that many unvaccinated children playing ball in close quarters with parents and grandparents nearby is simply too risky a proposition. I don’t think playing basketball with masks on provides a strong enough bulwark against the risk of infection. Frankly, with Jodie and I being over 65, it would be too risky for us to spend eight hours in the gym surrounded by non-vaccinated players.

We thus very reluctantly and very sadly, in conversation with the Recreation Department, have decided to cancel the 2021-2022 season. We are fully committed to starting again next Fall and hope your children will be available to resume our fun-loving Program.

Please stay safe, stay kind to one another and we hope to see you all again next year.

With warmest regards,

Steve & Jodie