At Annette Baseball, player safety is the only undefeated rule. Rain alone doesn't end a game. Cold, drizzle, jackets, blankets, soggy scoresheets — that's just baseball in Canada. Lightning is a different pitch entirely.

The rule we play by

If you can hear thunder, you can get hit by lightning. That's not us being cautious. That's Environment Canada. Every year in Canada, lightning causes up to 10 deaths and 164 injuries. So when thunder rolls in, we clear the dugout, clear the field, and head for cover.

We wait 30 minutes after the last rumble before anyone steps back on the diamond. No exceptions, no "one more inning."

What counts as safe shelter

Think of safe shelter like a strong defensive lineup. Some things look protective but won't make the play:

• A fully enclosed building with wiring and plumbing? Safe.
• A metal-roofed vehicle with the windows up? Safe.
• A dugout, picnic shelter, tent, or covered porch? Not safe. These are warning track outs, not home run robberies.
• Under a tree? Worst seat in the house. Trees, poles, fences, and bleachers all attract lightning.

What about rain, wind, or a soaked field?

Rain itself isn't a stoppage. If your kid played in cold drizzle today with no thunder around, that was a judgment call by the umpires and coaches and it's part of the game.

Field conditions are a separate call. If the diamond is genuinely unsafe to play on (think waterlogged base paths, standing water in the outfield, mud that turns sliding into a injury risk), the convenor or coaches can call it. That's a field call, not a weather call.

Direct hits aren't the only danger

Only about 5% of lightning injuries come from direct strikes. The bigger threats are ground current (lightning hits the ground and the charge spreads outward) and side flash (lightning hits a tall object and jumps to someone nearby). That's why standing near a tree, a pole, or a fence during a storm is one of the worst places you can be.

If someone gets struck

• Lightning victims don't carry a charge. You can safely touch them.
• Call 9-1-1 immediately.
• If they aren't breathing, start CPR. Use an AED if one is on hand.

Our game-day playbook

• Coaches and convenors monitor the forecast before every game.
• At the first rumble of thunder, players leave the field and get to shelter.
• Play resumes only after 30 minutes have passed with no thunder.
• If a storm system is moving in, we'd rather reschedule than risk it.

More info

For the full Environment Canada lightning safety guide, visit: Environment Canada — Lightning in Canada

Lightning safety and preparedness fact sheet (PDF)

When thunder roars, we head indoors.