When is the playing season?
Regular season starts February 24th and ends in early May. Post Season tournament play starts the week after the end of the regular season and ends on May 10th (Championship Game).
Where are games and practices?Games and practices are held at Creekside Park and Snow Creek Park (PONY 14U Division only).
When are the games played?
All teams play two games per week, one midweek and one on Saturday. Saturday game times will vary from week to week, with games starting as early as 9pm or as late as 5:00pm. The day of the midweek game will vary from week to week; start time is normally 7:00 pm. During the pre-season, before opening day, most teams practice twice per week, on a day and time selected by the coach. Some coaches schedule additional, voluntary practices as needed, for example a pitching or hitting clinic.
How are teams chosen?
All divisions (with the exception of Foal) use a draft system for player team assignments. During tryouts each player is evaluated by experienced coaches. After the tryouts are completed, a draft is held, in which coaches select players from the pool of available players. The draft is designed to optimize the likelihood that teams will be roughly equivalent in terms of talent and experience. Each team is allowed three "protected" players (frequently the children of the three coaches) who are automatically placed on that team.
Are there boundaries for Walnut PONY Baseball?
No. Players from any community are welcome to play in our league. My child has very little experience and/or is smaller than other kids his or her age.
Can he/she be placed in a lower division?
As a general rule, we encourage players to play in the division that is appropriate for their age bracket.
My child is more athletic and/or has more advanced baseball skills than other kids his or her age. Can he/she be placed in a higher division?
Again, we encourage players to play in the appropriate division for their age. Each division tends to emphasize certain skills, and “skipping” divisions can result in the loss of opportunity to fully develop key skills. Advanced players often become leaders on their teams, and help improve everyone's skills.
My son or daughter is particularly well suited to play a particular position. How do I ensure that the coach plays him or her at that position?
You don't. The decision on who to play at what position is the coach's prerogative. Most coaches, particularly at the Shetland, Pinto, and Mustang levels, move kids around to different positions during the season to round out their experience and generally seek to ensure that all kids have some opportunity during the season to play in the infield. At the Bronco and Pony level, which is more competitive, coaches tend to slot players into a small number of positions that they will play for the entire season. If you want your son or daughter to play a particular position, please consult with the coach and make your desires known. Keep in mind, however, that the decision is ultimately the coach's to make.
What equipment does my son or daughter need to play? The minimum equipment needed is a glove. You can expect to pay $30-40 for a relatively good quality beginner glove made of leather (not plastic). Better quality gloves range from $40-200. Most kids (virtually all at the Mustang level and above) also purchase baseball shoes (about $30 for kids sizes up to size 6). Many players also purchase their own bats, which can range from $25-$250.
What advice can you give me on how to buy the appropriate equipment?The first rule is not to buy equipment that is too big for your child, especially gloves and bats. Most Pinto players hit with bats that are 25 or 26 inches long and weigh 15 or 16 oz. Most Mustang players should use bats that are not longer than 30 inches and weigh 20 oz or less. Generally, the lighter the bat, the better able a child is to handle it. That also drives price -- a less expensive bat will typically have a differential between length and weight of -8 or -9 (e.g., 28 inches and 19 oz). A more expensive bat may have a differential of -11 or -12 (e.g., 29 inches and 18 oz). PONY requires all bats to be USA stamped. No “travel bats” allowed for PONY recreational baseball play. If your child is young or small, buy a small glove. If the glove is too large, the player will not get a good "feel" for the glove and will tend to be somewhat clumsy fielding the ball. Baseball cleats should have enough room to last 4-5 months through the season. Metal cleats are not permitted at the Pinto, Mustang and Bronco levels.
Do many girls play in this league?
In the younger divisions, as many as a third of the players on a team may be girls. Older girls do tend to migrate towards softball, so many teams in Mustang (age 9) and above will have no girls on them. But we do have competitive female players in every division.
What is the Champions Division?
This division is open to children and young adults ages 4 and up, with any type of special need. The Champions division was established to provide every child, regardless of special needs, the opportunity to participate in America’s favorite pastime of baseball. It is PONY's goal to provide an environment that enhances the participants’ self-esteem, physical mobility, and embodies the spirit of teamwork and community.