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Why PONY is the ELITE League?
Temple Terrace PONY Baseball is different then other youth baseball leagues’ in the Tampa area in many ways. The rules of play are designed to maximize player development and minimize chance of injury. Players age 3 -14 years old are placed in divisions strictly by age at two-year intervals so that kids are competing with others around their same age and physical development. Most importantly, young players are introduced to more advanced rules at younger ages so that they are challenged with traditional baseball concepts as they grow. It is no wonder that so many local travel-ball and high school players develop their skills by playing PONY Baseball. So if your child would like to lead-off and steal a base, pick a runner off first, and learn to play baseball like the major-leaguers, then PONY Baseball is for you.
The speed of the game is more realistic in PONY ball, i.e., pitching, hitting, running, and fielding. All of this happens at a more rapid pace on a smaller field thus making the players react and perform at a quicker rate. If players can perform and react at a quicker rate in games and practices over the course of 3 to 4 months they will become better players. When they transition to high school ball, the distance will be negligible, but the PONY player will have better reaction times then players from the Juniors Division.
There are currently over 375 Major League players who are graduates of PONY baseball. To name a few – Alex Rodriquez, Tony Gwynn, Mark McGwire, TJ Snow and Kevin Appier.
Following are the top reasons why players and parents choose to play Temple Terrace PONY Baseball (ages 3 -14):
1. Real Baseball – Starting at age 9, Pony allows for full baseball rules. This means leadoff and steals, and pitchers pitching from the stretch with runners on base. When asked, almost unanimously players’ answer they prefer to leadoff and steal bases. Why? Because it is more fun! Our players are also more prepared to play school ball, starting in 7th grade because they have played “real baseball” for a couple of years.
2. Temple Terrace PONY Baseball graduates the playing field distances every two years. Field dimensions (base paths and pitching distance) are gradually expanded with each division to match the growth and development of young players. This ensures that all players will compete on a field that matches their abilities and improves safety concerns that can occur when older players are on fields that are too small:
· Wrangler (ages 3-4) – coach pitch followed by T-Ball to allow for hitting success (parents assist and bond with kids)
· Shetland (ages 5 –6) – Coach pitch followed T-Ball to allow for hitting success, 50’ foot bases
· Pinto (ages 7-8) – Player pitch and / or Coach pitch and 50’ bases
· Mustang (ages 9-10) – 44’ pitching distance and 60’ bases
· Bronco (ages 11-12) – 48’ pitching distance and 70’ bases
· Pony (age 13-14) – 54’ pitching distance and 80’ bases
· Colt (age 15 - 19) – Major League distance 60’-6” pitching and 90’ bases
From a player development viewpoint, this 2-year graduation program is as critical to development as keeping pitchers from throwing breaking balls. Competing leagues in town play 46’ pitching and 60’ bases through age 12. This size field becomes too small for 12-year olds. Then at age 13, they are asked to advance to 60’ 6” pitching distance, and 90’ bases. This extreme field size graduation is very difficult for players to adapt to. In addition, graduating from 46’ pitching to 60’ 6” is difficult for both the batters and the pitchers. Imagine, as 12-year old you may be throwing the ball past hitters from 46’, and then turn around as a 13-year old and all of a sudden it appears you are lobbing the ball from 60’ 6”. Temple Terrace PONY field graduation allows for consistent development among all age groups.
3. Some parents choose Temple Terrace PONY baseball because the season starts in the middle of March and District Tournaments are completed by the middle of June. They can still enjoy the summer together as a family, or continue playing ball with tournament teams.
Some other things to consider:
· How about being a big fish in a small pond or would you rather be part of a league that has over 1,200 players like many of the Little Leagues in the Tampa area.
· No boundaries, kids can play with their friends that might not live in the same district they are required to play in. Why not take your friends with you and start your own team.
· All Star Tournaments start in the Wrangler division and continue all the way through the Palomino Division. Temple Terrace consistently finishes high enough in the Divisional Tournaments to send teams to the State Tournaments and beyond. There is no better time spent with family and friends then traveling to a tournament with your kids and their team.
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