BASA season suspended until further notice

For years and almost every Sunday, softball players and fans made their way to the Dan Dan Softball Field for fun, camaraderie, and exercise. But now, the 2026 Budweiser Belau Amateur Softball Association league is suspended until further notice due to extensive damage to the facility caused by Super Typhoon Sinlaku. The field is also home to Dan Dan Middle School and PSS Athletic Programs activities.

The typhoon caused significant damage to the field, including torn fencing, flooding and erosion of the infield, and damage to the dugouts, backstop, and press box, as well as loads of debris across the entire field. The lighting poles and bleachers also took a hit. “Right now, the field is unsafe for any activity,” said BASA board chair Hector Efraim.

As for the rest of the season, he said, “We are not canceling the season yet. The board and officers will meet after restoration and recovery efforts are underway to discuss options, including a shortened season or relocating games if we can secure an alternate field. No practices or games at Dan Dan field until repairs are done and it’s deemed safe.”

On the estimated timeline for when games can resume, he said there’s no firm date yet because they are still assessing the full scope of the damage. “We’ll share a timeline once the assessment is complete and we have contractor schedules. We’ll provide updates to all teams weekly, even if the update is that we’re still waiting on reports,” he said.

Efraim said the next steps in restoring the field are: first, a full safety and structural assessment with Dan Dan School officials, local authorities, and insurance adjusters; second, debris removal and clearing; and third, finalizing the repair plan with contractors once the insurance review is complete.

As for the biggest challenges in the cleanup and rebuilding process, Efraim said, “First is the insurance claims and funding process, which takes time. Second is contractor availability, since many facilities across Saipan were hit. Third is coordinating with Dan Dan School to make sure repairs are done right so the field is safe long-term, not just a quick fix. We want to rebuild better.”

When asked what his reaction was upon seeing the condition of the field, he said, “Heartbreaking. Dan Dan field is home for our softball family. Seeing it torn up like that was tough for all of us on the board. But my second reaction was resolve—we will rebuild and get our players back out there.”