Pony Division

	14 & Under
Director: Jon Schwartz jonathan.schwartz@yahoo.com
2012 Season Info:
LA-MV Local Rules

Pony Division continues to introduce the maturing players to the complete game of baseball. The diamond is extended to 80 feet and the pitching mound is 54 feet (distances which are better suited to the players' developing arms).

Team Coaches “draft” players based on tryout results. Teams from LA-MVPB participate in an inter-locked league with teams from other South Bay PONY Baseball leagues. Each player receives the use of a full baseball uniform and receives individual and team photos.

The Pony Division regular season usually starts on the same day as the younger divisions, typically the 3rd or 4th weekend in March. Each team plays about 20 games, with the Regular Season ending in mid-June.

A select number of Pony players are invited each season to participate in post-season “All Star” play. For more information, visit the Post-Season Programs page.

High School Freshmen who are league age 14 can join Pony Division at the conclusion of the High School season, usually in late April. PONY National rules require a player to play at least half of the regular season games to qualify for post-season play, but this rule is waived for High School players. Alternatively, as of the 2009 season High School Freshmen may opt to play a complete season Colt Division.

Frequently Asked Questions - (Or Why should I sign up for the Pony division ?)

THE DATES MENTIONED IN THE FAQs BELOW REFER TO THE 2011 SEASON - PLEASE WATCH THIS SPACE FOR UPDATED INFORMATION REGARDING THE 2012 SEASON

1. What are the differences between Bronco (11-12 yr old) and Pony Divisions?
2. My player is currently a high school freshman who is planning to try out for his high school team. Even though he/she will be age-eligible for Pony Division, does it still make sense to sign up?
3. My player is not yet in high school, but would like to prepare for high school play. Given that Pony Division plays on 80’ diamonds, isn’t that a disadvantage?
4. My player is undecided about, or uninterested in playing at the high school level, but simply enjoys the game and wants to continue playing recreationally. Is Pony Division the right place to be?
5. My player does not live in Los Altos or Mountain View, but is really interested in your Pony Division program. Can we still play in your league?
6. I have heard that Pony Division games are really long, especially since they have no time limits. Is this true?
7. I read in the local paper that Rosita Park will be closed for the season. What is the current plan to host the Pony Division?
8. Some of our friends tell us that we should be using professional, paid coaches, and play solely on Travel Ball teams at this age level. What is your take?
9. My player would like to play in Pony Division, but also would like to play on an another Travel/Club team at the same time. Is this allowed?
10. My player is interested in playing on a Travel Ball Team at the 13U/14U level. Will LA-MV offer a Pony Club Team this season?
11. Last year we heard that there was only one Pony All Star team instead of two. Will that be the case again this year?
12. How do I sign my player up for LA-MV’s Pony Division?
13. What if I still have more questions?

1. What are the differences between Bronco (11-12 yr old) and Pony Divisions?

Pony Division is designed to help facilitate a smooth transition from recreational baseball to a more competitive level of play, such as that found at the high school level. Some of the differences are:

• Larger diamond: 80’ base path and 54’ pitching distance (vs. 70’/48’ in Bronco)
• Quality of facilities: Upgraded fields for games including mostly grass infields
• Officiating: Two professional adult umpires per game from the Santa Clara Valley Federation of Umpires - the same group that officiates local high school games.
• Competition: Teams are part of the South Bay Pony Interlock, which LA-MV operates. Teams from Sunnyvale-Cupertino, Los Gatos, San Jose-Pacific, and Saratoga PONY leagues all participate in the Interlock.
• Playing Time: Everyone plays – players are guaranteed at least three innings of play, and at least one at-bat per game.
• Quality of Play: Substantially more competitive teams than what is seen at the Bronco level. Also, a much higher quality of play than what is evident with most Travel Ball teams at this age level.
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2. My player is currently a high school freshman who is planning to try out for his high school team. Even though he/she will be age-eligible for Pony Division, does it still make sense to sign up?

Yes it does. You should register your player for Pony Division now and have them participate in the January Pony Division tryouts. Here’s why:
In the event that your player makes their high school team, at the conclusion of their season, they will be assigned to a LA-MV Team and be eligible to play in all remaining regular season and playoff games, including the South Bay Interlock Championship. In addition, your player would be eligible for Pony Division All Star selection and postseason play, assuming that all age and residential requirements have been met. Registering now gives you priority for placement as soon as you are available to play in our league.
In the event that your player does not make his high school team and the LA-MV Pony Division draft has not yet taken place, they will be entered into the draft and be part of their team’s initial formation. If the draft has already taken place, your player will be placed on a priority waitlist. In previous years, LA-MV has been very successful in placing waitlist players on a team within a short period. Due to conflicts, injuries, etc., a small handful of players usually drop out early each season, clearing roster space for those on the waitlist.

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3. My player is not yet in high school, but would like to prepare for high school play. Given that Pony Division plays on 80’ diamonds, isn’t that a disadvantage?

Absolutely not. The Pony 80’ diamond is a major advantage in the development of maturing players.
The PONY system was developed in response to problems with the Little League system where players play on 60’ fields until age 13, when suddenly they are forced to adjust to an adult-sized 90’ field. This two-step system creates serious drawbacks: 1) 13 and 14 yr old players have a very difficult transition to 90’ because their bodies are not yet physically mature to take the stress of play on the larger diamond, and 2) quality of play drops off substantially as pitching accuracy becomes erratic and “routine” plays cannot be made due to overly large playing area for the players’ sizes. The PONY system of gradually increased field size for every 2 years of age is widely recognized as the best system for preparing players over the course of their youth playing careers.
Fielders:On an 80’ diamond, infielders are closer in to the play. They learn to react quicker and play sharper with no margin for error, in part because runners have a shorter running distance than on a 90’ field. “Hard” infield plays such as double plays, throwing out runners at 1st base on grounders to the 3rd baseman, and throwdowns from the catcher to a base stealer at 2nd base are commonplace in Pony Division, but relatively uncommon at this age on 90’ fields. Outfielders have to play the position properly, taking the correct routes to the ball, learning to get the throw in quickly and to the right cutoff since runners stretching for extra bases is a real threat on an 80’ diamond. On a 90’ field, fielders are lulled by the “slowness” of the play, and fail to develop the quick reactions that will serve them well as they transition later to 90’ play.
Pitchers:Progressing from a 48’ (Bronco) to a 60.5’ (90’ diamond) pitching distance, results in a 26% increase in pitching distance. So a player who was pitching 55 mph in Bronco last season who have to throw nearly 70 mph in order to match the same pitch velocity at the plate. A top-notch pitcher who was throwing 60 mph in Bronco would now have to throw 76 mph on a 90’ field to keep pace. Realistically, most 13 year old starting pitchers throw 60-65 mph, and most 14 year olds throw 65-70+. The other concern is the strike zone. Bronco uses an enlarged zone (+1/2 ball width either side of the plate), while a traditional strike zone is used in all leagues 13 years old and above, including Pony. Thus, the effective strike zone will be smaller in both Pony and 90’ fields. While a pitcher in Pony Division will have to adjust to a 21% smaller effective strike zone as compared to Bronco, that same pitcher throwing from a 60.5’ rubber will have to deal with a 37% smaller strike zone. Both of these issues will generally lead to a large drop in pitching effectiveness for players jumping up to a 90’ diamond.
Batters:At the shorter pitching distance of Pony fields, players will learn to develop a faster pickup of the pitch and, as necessary, shorten up their stroke with a more compact swing. By being able to “see the pitch” more rapidly, batters can better distinguish off-speed and breaking pitches by being able to wait a little longer before committing their swing. Players are already tuned to a faster effective ball velocity and quicker pitch delivery when they transition to high school play.

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4. My player is undecided about, or uninterested in playing at the high school level, but simply enjoys the game and wants to continue playing recreationally. Is Pony Division the right place to be?

LA-MV prides itself as a league focused on providing a safe and encouraging environment for players of all abilities and desires. Much of the discussion in the sections above also applies to players that wish only to play recreationally. Pony Division, though somewhat more competitive than Bronco, still accommodates the needs of the more casual player through the use of minimum play rules, a player draft process (in order to ensure balanced teams), and time limits on games (see below). Pitch Count Limits, introduced in the 2010 season, also serve to expand pitching opportunities to a greater portion of the team. Finally, LA-MV augments the training received from the coaches with additional professional training clinics throughout the early part of the season. Players of all abilities are highly encouraged to participate in all LA- MV sponsored clinics.

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5. My player does not live in Los Altos or Mountain View, but is really interested in your Pony Division program. Can we still play in your league?

Yes, LA-MV PONY can accept players from outside our geographical boundaries for regular season play, both intra-league, as well as within the South Bay Interlock. In fact, out-of-region players are eligible to be selected to Pony All Star teams and participate in postseason play (scrimmages and warm-up tournaments). The exception is that they would not be able to play in PONY Sanctioned Tournaments due to current PONY National rules. Every year, LA-MV’s Pony Division attracts many new players “graduating” from Little League and other 12U- focused baseball leagues from neighboring communities. The South Bay Interlock and the strength of the LA-MV organization are often-cited reasons for this.

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6. I have heard that Pony Division games are really long, especially since they have no time limits. Is this true?

Although the regular season schedule will not be finalized until February, we are planning to schedule no more than 2 games in any given week, same as Bronco. This will allow teams to hold their weekly practices and play two games without overburdening the families. As such, we are targeting the regular season to be approximately 18 games in length, with a short gap prior to the start of playoffs.

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7. I read in the local paper that Rosita Park will be closed for the season. What is the current plan to host the Pony Division?

LA-MV has been working closely with the City of Los Altos on the planned Rosita Park development. Although it is true that Skip Mueller Field, as well as the rest of the park will be unavailable to our league this spring, we have an excellent alternative in place which will include usage of an upgraded Covington Field, as well as sharing of Saratoga PONY League’s Congress Springs Field. Congress Springs is widely regarded as one of the finest Pony fields in the South Bay, and is only a short 10-15 minute drive from the Los Altos/Mountain View area. In the event that Rosita Park is reopened earlier than currently planned, LA-MV may choose reschedule some or all home games back at Rosita.

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8. Some of our friends tell us that we should be using professional, paid coaches, and play solely on Travel Ball teams at this age level. What is your take?

LA-MV continues its tradition of relying on volunteer coaches at the Pony age level for several reasons:

• LA-MV is committed to bringing a quality baseball experience to the local community at large – not just to those that can afford private coaches. By using highly-qualified volunteer coaches, LA-MV can maintain participation fees that most non-profit (and certainly, for-profit) travel ball clubs can’t match. For example, it’s not unusual for travel ball clubs to charge $150-200 per month, plus uniform fees, tournament fees, academy membership fees, etc. In these economically challenging times, families are looking for the most cost-efficient use of discretionary funds to provide their player with a solid baseball experience without cutting into their college savings.

  	LA-MV PONY	Non-profit Travel Team	For-profit Travel Team
  Seasonal registration fees	$275	N/A	N/A
  Monthly team fees (5 mos.)	N/A	$500	$1,000
  Uniform fees	N/A	$50	$250
  Tournament fees (2/mo., 4 mos.)	N/A	$560	$800
  Associated membership fees	N/A	N/A	$350
  Season Total	$275	$1,110	$2,400

• Just because a coach is “paid” doesn’t make him a superior coach. Certainly, many professional coaches are excellent at skills training, team management, and game management. But, sadly, many are not. Because of the increased commercialization of youth sports, there are many more professional coaches now than ever before. Quality control is uneven, and many paid coaches are not, in truth, any more skilled or responsive to the needs of the players than our own league’s volunteers.
• Most travel ball teams have a single mission in tournaments: Win Games, Win Tournaments, and boost the reputation of the team so as to draw even more players to the franchise. As such, “Minimum play” rules, pitching limits, and other safeguards for the fairness and protection of all players are largely nonexistent.
• There is no data available to support the notion that having a player solely on a Travel Ball team or with a paid coach will increase their odds of making their high school team. Largely this is a myth perpetuated by for-profit entities. The simple fact is that LA-MV Pony Baseball maintains an outstanding track record of its alumni succeeding at the high school level. In fact, LA-MV Pony Baseball is a major source of new players for local baseball powerhouses like St. Francis and Archbishop Mitty. Today, over 70 former and continuing LA-MV players are on local high school teams, averaging 20+ freshmen making it onto their high school teams each year after having played in LA-MV’s Pony Division. Many of these players have gone on to CCS All Stars and even one CCS Player of the Year. In addition, fifteen alumni are currently playing at the college level, many in Division 1. And a few have made it into the pros. For more information about LA-MV alumni playing at the higher levels, see: http://www.lamvpb.org/about/alumni.html
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9. My player would like to play in Pony Division, but also would like to play on an another Travel/Club team at the same time. Is this allowed?

LA-MV understands that today’s teens are more active than in previous years and may have multiple outstanding commitments. Although it is not recommended, some players may choose to play in both LA-MV’s Pony Division, as well as on another sports team concurrently. In addition to Travel Baseball Teams, other sports teams, including afterschool sports teams can cause conflicts. By default, it is assumed that players will make their LA-MV Pony team a priority, meeting their team’s practice and game commitments, similar to what would be expected of them on a high school team. However, if conflicts are anticipated (due to time availability or risk of physical overusage – i.e. fatigue or overpitching), parents are required to note these concurrent activities when registering their player in LA-MV so that the conflict can be taken into account by the league during team formation. Players/parents should then work closely with their LA-MV coach to ensure that the needs of the team and the players can be balanced. In addition to furthering their sports education, we would like our players to fully embrace the concepts of commitment and responsibility – tools that they can apply beyond sports for a lifetime.
In addition to outside Travel Ball teams, LA-MV offers its excellent Club Team program. For more information, see the section below.

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10. My player is interested in playing on a Travel Ball Team at the 13U/14U level. Will LA-MV offer a Pony Club Team this season?

LA-MV is working to establish a combined 13/14 year old Club Team this season. The Pony Club Team would exist in concurrence with regular season Pony teams, and will provide advanced training, competition, and tournament play to augment a player’s regular team experience. One of the many advantages of the LA-MV Club Team program is that the league ensures that there are no schedule conflicts between the regular season team and the Club Team. Sign up is simple and online. Club-specific tryouts are scheduled for Saturday,January 22. If you would like more information about the Pony Club team program, feel free to contact LA-MV’s Pony Division Director, Byron Young, at byoung@lamvpb.org.

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11. Last year we heard that there was only one Pony All Star team instead of two. Will that be the case again this year?

Our current plan is to field two Pony All Star teams – one for the traditional Pony (14U) division, and one for the Pony-13U division. On rare occasions, the number and quality of players in LA-MV Pony Division may affect our ability to field two full, competitive teams. LA-MV continues to field high quality teams in the postseason at all levels. For example, last season our Pony (14U) All Star team reached the Pony Regional Championship game, capturing runner-up honors.

12. How do I sign my player up for LA-MV’s Pony Division?
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As with all divisions, signup is easy, fast, and online. Go to our Registration page for registration and additional information. Tryouts are scheduled for Sunday, January 9, and teams will be formed in mid-February. We hope to see you and your players in our Pony Division soon!

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13. What if I still have more questions?

If you have any further questions regarding LA-MV’s Pony Division, please feel free to contact LA-MV’s Pony Division Director, Byron Young, at byoung@lamvpb.org.

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