What's the Big Picture?
It's simple & if kids have fun, they learn more and try harder. We want your child to have a fun experience learning the game of baseball & and along the way learn something about the values of teamwork, sportsmanship, and personal effort.
Positive Coaching Alliance & Double Goal Coaching�
This program (www.positivecoach.org), and their book (The Double Goal Coach) serve as the backbone of our coaching and organizational philosophy. They unapologetically want kids to try their hardest to win games and compete but they put even more emphasis on developing life skills by rewarding "Effort", emphasizing "Learning", and allowing room for "Mistakes".
"Honor The Game" Pledges
We've created these pledges to help all groups (coaches, umpires, parents, players) work toward the same goal. At your child's first practice, your coach will review these, and ask you and your child to sign them. You'll see this term ("Honor the Game") used during the season as a reminder to all groups to honor the game with our conduct.
Who Runs Santa Barbara PONY Baseball?
You do! Santa Barbara PONY Baseball is a parent-run, all volunteer organization. There are no paid coaches or staff. Whether you help your coach at practices, help in the snack shack, or do field maintenance before or after games, all it takes is a desire to help kids. So when your coach needs a Team Mom, or asks moms/dads to help with practices or field preparations, please step forward to lend a hand! There's no baseball experience required.
What Can I Find on the Website ( www.sbpony.org)?
League news and announcements, season calendar, local rules for each division, email contacts, etc. Game schedules will be posted after teams are formed.
Team Formation and Draft
Pinto teams are intended to be formed by grade school (depends on whether we have a coach for each school). Players in all other divisions (Mustang, Bronco, Pony) are drafted after player evaluations...the league requires all registered players to attend coach evaluations. The dates are listed on the Program page of this website and also on your "Cart" page. Regarding your team assignment, you should hear from your child's coach by the end of February.
About Your Child's Coach
Again, we're a parent-run organization. In many cases, your child's coach is also coaching their own child. Coaches attend workshops to go over the "basics", as well as attend clinics hosted by Santa Barbara Foresters and UCSB head baseball coaches. Background checks are conducted for official coaches and assistant coaches by the City of Santa Barbara.
Playing Time
Each kid is entitled to play a minimum number of innings per game. Please see the local rules section under each division.
Customer Feedback
If you've got feedback for your coach, please talk with them first. If you're not satisfied with your coach's response, then you can email your Division Commissioner (click "contacts" on the website) with questions/concerns. Also, our Board of Directors conducts a mid-season parent survey to help us know how we're doing. We can't be all things to all people, but we do want to help kids learn the game and have fun.
PONY Baseball is co-sponsored by the City of Santa Barbara