Mustang 9-10
Due to the size of our league and the desire to introduce the complete game of baseball in gradual stages, LA-MV has organized Mustang into two age-based divisions:
A select number of Mustang players are invited each season to participate in post-season “All Star” play.
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 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
What are the major differences between
Pinto 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, the diamond is 60 feet, there are
stolen
bases, and sliding is mandatory on close plays. In Pinto: 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, the diamond is 50 feet, 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 players ages 9 and above who
request the
Mustang 1 division and above, and 8-year-olds who register for Mustang
1.
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, b) select Club Team players, and c) form balanced teams. [back]
When are tryouts/evaluations?
Tryout/Evaluation schedules and locations are on the home page.
You will be able to reserve a tryout time online or via a phone
number that will be posted on the website.
[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 CBPL 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 Huff and Loyola schools. 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).
Where, when and how often are games
played?
Games are held at Huff and Loyola schools. Each team typically
plays once
on Saturdays and once in midweek - usually Tuesday, Wednesday or
Thursday.
Saturday games are normally scheduled at 9:30, 12:30 and 3:30. 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 or 1:45 (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 Academy, Hibitts, Mira's or Walmart, 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 or metal cleats (about $30 for kids sizes up to size 6). 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. CBPL Pony Baseball derives all its funds from registration
fees, donors, opening day events
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 CBPL 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 an All Star team for 2-3 tournaments after
the season is completed. There may also be an In-House All Star tournament
with players from our league. [back]
How are All Stars selected?
The Mustang division directors and the Player
Representative
select the All Stars. The Vice President of Operations occasionally
provides
input. The All Stars are nominated by their own regular season coach
who also
provides 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 Select Teams?
For comprehensive information, see our
Select Baseball.
[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.