LCYO T-BALL FACT SHEET - 2006

• Philosophy  The T-Ball division is one of the largest and most important divisions in Pony Baseball.  The focus in T-Ball is on developing basic baseball skills, introducing sportsmanship, cooperation, and most of all HAVING FUN!!  No score is kept; the emphasis is on learning not winning.

·        Rules   All batters hit a soft baseball off a tee, with Coaches free to assist the players with hitting instruction during the at-bat. As players are ready, coaches may begin pitching the ball to them. Games consist of 3 innings and typically last one hour.  All players bat and field in every inning, with every player required to play a minimum of one inning in the infield and one inning in the outfield every game.

• Season  LCYO has a Spring T-Ball Season.  Practices generally start in early February.  Games begin in March and end in the middle of May.  LCYO T-Ball does not have a Fall Season.  No games will be scheduled during Spring Break.    
• Ages:  The league is for 5 and 6 year olds.  For the 2006 season, the birthday cutoffs are:  May 1, 1999 and April  30, 2001
• Coaches needed  Our league is chronically short of  Head Coaches, so please volunteer.  Coaching is a great way to enjoy time with your child and we make every attempt to provide practice times that accommodate a coach’s schedule.  In late January we will conduct a Coaches clinic to review practice techniques and drills to make your practices more productive.
• Team formation:  You can request a specific coach, 1-2 teammates, or a specific school.  Please note such requests during the registration process.  We do our best to accommodate such requests, but we can not make any guarantees. Teams are generally put together by school and/or geography.
• Notification of players:  Coaches generally receive their roster by the end of January.  Coaches should notify their players directly by the end of the first week of February.
• Practices and Games  Practices and games generally last between 1 and 1 ½ hours. Preseason begins in February and consists of two practices per week (one weekday and one Saturday).  Saturday games will begin in early March.  Teams may continue to practice on weekdays until Daylight savings time begins, when each team will have a weekday game and a Saturday game. T-Ball games and practices will be held at El Camino Creek and Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary Schools.
• Equipment    LCYO provides all players with a uniform, including cap, jersey, baseball pants, and socks.  In addition, there will be bats and helmets at the field for players to share.  A baseball glove is all that is required (preferably small and leather) though rubber baseball cleats are recommended.  Kids can bring their own batting helmets and/or bat (typically 25” or 26” and no more than 16 oz in weight).  A baseball equipment bag helps kids lug their equipment around.

Please check the LCYO web site (www.lcyo.org) for up to date information or feel free to contact us by email at tballdirector@lcyo.org.

Steve Green

Interim Tee Ball Division Director