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Mustang Division

Bill Friedman

Bill Friedman

Mustang Division Director


Mustang Division begins the players' training in the complete game of baseball. Players pitch with a regulation baseball. The diamond is 60 feet and the pitching mound is 46 feet. To form balanced teams, players participate in tryouts to evaluate skill levels (batting, fielding, throwing, and running). Team coaches subsequently “draft” players based on tryout results. The regular season includes games with teams from within the same division. Each player receives the use of a full baseball uniform and receives individual and team photos.

Mustang Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Welcome to the Mustang FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). Hopefully you'll be able to find the answer you are looking for, but if not, contact the Mustang Division Director with your questions. We'll try to update the list periodically with the good questions that parents continue to ask.

How, What, When, Where?

How do I decide if Mustang is the right division for my child?
What are the major differences between Pinto 2 and Mustang?
How do I register my child?
Does my child need to tryout?
When are tryouts/evaluations?
What happens at tryouts/evaluations?
Should my child practice/prepare for tryouts/evaluations?
When does the season start?
Where, when and how often are practices held?
Where, when and how often are games played?
How many games are scheduled?
How long are games?
What is the minimum playing time for each player?
What equipment is required to play?
Is there any additional fundraising required?

Team Formation and Assignment

How are teams assigned?
How many kids are on a team?
Can my child request a friend to play on the same team?
Do siblings play on the same team?
When will I be notified which team my child is on?
Are there post-season All Star opportunities?
How are All Stars selected?
What about Club Teams?
I'm interested in coaching, what should I do?
What opportunities are there for parents to assist the coaches during the season?

Answers

How do I decide if Mustang is the right division for my child?
Most children who are 9-years-old or 10-years-old by August 31st during the season or who played last year in the Pinto 2 or Mustang-1 division should choose the Mustang division. Very advanced 8-year-olds can tryout, and may be allowed to play up into Mustang if they demonstrate sufficient skill. Some 11-year-old players who are new to baseball, or require more development can request to play down into Mustang. Parents may request the Pinto 2 division for their 9-year-old who may need more development, or who is new to baseball. [back]

What are the major differences between Pinto 2 and Mustang?
In Mustang, players pitch a regulation baseball (hardball), only 9 players play in the field at a time, there is an umpire provided by the league, game scores and standings are kept, at the end of the season there is a playoff tournament including all the teams, there are stolen bases, and sliding is mandatory on close plays. In Pinto 2: a softer ball is used and there is a progression from "coach-pitch" to the kids pitching, 10 kids play in the field, there is no umpire nor standings, there is no playoff tournament, no base stealing is allowed, and sliding on close plays is encouraged, but not mandatory. [back]

How do I register my child?
To Register, to go our Registration Page. This page includes complete instructions and downloadable copies of our information packet. All players are encouraged to register and pay online. When you are registering, please consider the many volunteer opportunities or sponsorship possibilities.

New players must provide a photocopy of the child's birth certificate, passport, or other age-verifying document, as described on the Registration Page. [back]

Does my child need to tryout?
Yes, tryouts are required for all Mustang players. Tryouts are used to evaluate player skills (batting, fielding, throwing and running) in order to a) ensure that the player is signed up for the appropriate division, and b) form balanced teams. [back]

When are tryouts/evaluations?
Tryout/Evaluation schedules and locations are on the Camps and Evaluations Page. [back]

What happens at tryouts/evaluations?
The kids are grouped by their assigned time. Together they go through a warm up, and then are timed on a 60ft run. They then proceed to 3 other stations for evaluation in batting, fielding and throwing. The batting is against a pitching machine and sometimes supplemented with a batting tee. They get approximately 5 swings. Players may use their own bat. One fielding evaluation is 3 ground balls from a machine to the shortstop position - the player fields the ball and throws to first base. The second fielding evaluation is 3 fly balls from a machine to the outfield - the player tries to catch the ball and throw to second base. The tryout process lasts about an hour.

Evaluation of the players is by experienced coaches and LA-MVPB board members. Results of tryouts are released only to coaches drafting a team and Pony staff. Mustang coaches are encouraged to attend tryouts to form their own independent evaluation of the players. [back]

Should my child practice/prepare for tryouts?
Though not necessary, it is suggested. Throwing and catching a few days before at home as well as visiting a batting cage will just make your player more confident while attending the tryouts/evaluations. [back]

When does the season start?
The division draft is in early-to-mid February. After the draft, the coaches can begin practices - typically twice per week until the season begins. Opening Day for the first game is mid-to-late March. The regular season ends before Memorial Day, and the playoffs end in early June. Schedules are distributed before Opening Day. [back]

Where, when and how often are practices held?
Practices are held at Oak Elementary. Coaches usually schedule two practices a week, one mid-week and once on weekends, prior to Opening Day. After the season begins there is usually one practice on Monday, Friday or Sunday. Coaches pick their practice days and times from the available slots (which are limited by field availability). [back]

Where, when and how often are games played?
Games are held at Oak Elementary. Each team typically plays once on Saturdays and once in midweek - usually Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Saturday games are normally scheduled at 9:00, 12 noon and 3:00. Midweek games are at 4PM before Daylight Savings Time and at 5PM afterwards. [back]

How many games are scheduled?
Typically there are 12-14 games, depending on the number of teams. The goal is to finish the regular season before Memorial Day. [back]

How long are games?
Games are 6 innings (5-1/2 innings if the home team is leading after the visitors bat in the 6th inning). On weekdays, however, no inning shall start after 2 hours, and on weekends after 2-1/2 hours. [back]

What is the minimum playing time for each player?
Every player bats. No player may sit out on defense more than 2 innings. The League encourages coaches to provide opportunities for infield play for each player in each game. [back]

What equipment is required to play?
The minimum baseball equipment required is a baseball glove. You can expect to pay $30-40 for a relatively good quality beginner glove made of leather (not plastic). Gloves are available from SportMart, Toy's R Us, and other local sports stores. Please ask for assistance in getting the correct size if this is the first time a glove is being purchased.

A protective cup is required for all male catchers. The League strongly advises that all male players wear a protective cup.

Most kids also purchase baseball shoes with rubber cleats (about $30 for kids sizes up to size 6). Metal cleats are not permitted. Many players also purchase their own bats which can range from $25-$200. Each team has one or more team bats available for use during practice and games. [back]

Is there any additional fundraising required?
No. LA-MV Pony Baseball derives all its funds from registration fees, donors and sponsorship. There are no candy sales, magazine sales or mid-season fund raisers. [back]

How are teams assigned?
Mustang teams are formed through a draft. All players attend a tryout during which they are evaluated by experienced coaches and LA-MVPB board members. After the tryouts are completed, a draft is held in which coaches select from the pool of available players. The draft is designed to optimize the likelihood that teams will be roughly equivalent in terms of talent. Each team is allowed up to two "protected" players (the children of the two coaches) who are automatically placed on that team. The division director approves coach pairings and protected players to keep parity among the teams. [back]

How many kids are on a team?
There are 12 players per team. [back]

Can my child request a friend to play on the same team?
The teams are assembled using the draft process to ensure balanced teams. There is no way to guarantee a request for a friend to play on the same team. [back]

Do siblings play on the same team?
Yes, siblings play on the same team if the parents request it. Occasionally parents will request that siblings be placed on different teams, and those requests are also honored. [back]

When will I be notified which team my child is on?
The division draft occurs in early February. Coaches then contact their players over the next week and pass on the details such as the team roster and practice schedule. The League recommends that the coaches hold a parents' meeting before or after the first team practice in order to introduce themselves and ask for assistance during the season. [back]

Are there post-season All Star opportunities?
The Mustang division will field a 9U and a 10U All Star team for 2-3 tournaments after the playoffs are completed. There will also be an In-House All Star tournament with players from our league. [back]

How are All Stars selected?
The All Stars are nominated and voted on by the regular season coaches who also provide information such as the player's position, performance and attitude. During the regular season, coaches also report to the division director after each game the top players from the opposing team. This information, along with original tryout scores, and player availability is used to assemble All Star teams. [back]

What about Club Teams?
For comprehensive information, see our Club Team Program page. [back]

I'm interested in coaching, what should I do?
When completing registration, the first step is to check the “Head Coach” or “Assistant Coach” box in the volunteer section. If you wish to pair with another coach, that should also be indicated on form. The division director will choose among the available candidates to get two coaches per team for the draft process. [back]

After the draft process, the head coaches are free to recruit parents of their players as additional assistants. If you would like more information or have questions, please contact the division director.

What opportunities are there for parents to assist the coaches during the season?
Each team will need a team parent(s) to organize a snack schedule, distribute picture-day materials and organize the end-of-year party. The head coach usually asks for additional assistant coaches to help with practices and games, and for help in field preparation.