Frequently Asked Questions

What is "Chandler Youth Baseball"?
What is "PONY Baseball"?
Are players allowed to play in an older age bracket?
Are players allowed to play in a younger age bracket?
Can 4-year-olds play in CYB?
How is a player's age bracket determined?
How are teams formed?
When is registration?
What is required to be a coach?
Does CYB need coaches?
When does the season start?
When does the season end?
How many games are there?
Where are the games played?
When are the games played?
Does CYB have post-season tournament teams?
Are players awarded trophies?
Are uniforms provided?
Do players have to live in Chandler to play in CYB?
What is involved in sponsoring a team?
Can girls play in CYB?
Is insurance provided for players?
Can a player request to be on the same team as another player?
Can a player play in CYB if he/she is playing in another league?

What is "Chandler Youth Baseball"? (return to top)

Chandler Youth Baseball (CYB) is a locally run, non-profit baseball league for kids, ages 4 thru 18, formed in 1969. In 1998, CYB became associated with PONY Baseball of America. CYB is run by an all-volunteer Board of Directors elected annually by its members. See the CYB By-Laws for more details.

What is "PONY Baseball"? (return to top)

PONY stands for "Protect Our Nation's Youth". PONY Baseball of America is a non-profit corporation, started in 1951, and is a national competitor to the better known "Little League". As a member of PONY baseball CYB may enter teams in post-season PONY tournaments. In 2001, CYB hosted the first ever PONY tournament in Maricopa County, with teams from CYB, Mountain Pointe (Ahwatukee) & Scottsdale. In 2011, CYB sent seven all-star teams to the PONY Arizona Regional tournaments.

Are players allowed to play in an older age bracket? (return to top)

In general, the answer is "yes" - as long as the parents feel that he/she is ready and realize that their child will be playing against children at least two years older. However, for players ages 9 and up, we strongly recommend that they play primarily in their normal age bracket - and, if stronger competition is desired, play on an additional team in the older bracket.

Are players allowed to play in a younger age bracket? (return to top)

Unfortunately, mostly due to liability constraints, we generally do not allow players to play in a younger age bracket.  Exceptions require the approval of the board.

Can 4-year-olds play in CYB? (return to top)

Yes, if the parents feel that their child is mature enough to play T-ball with 5 & 6-year-olds.

How is a player's age bracket determined? (return to top)

A player's age for the season is determined by what his age will be on May 1 that coming summer. For example, if a player's 11th birthday is on April 15, he must play in the Bronco division - even though he will only be 10 when the season begins. The May 1 deadline is standard throughout most baseball leagues.

How are teams formed? (return to top)

• Shetland & Pinto (ages 5-8):  teams are formed either by coach request or by neighborhood. We also honor any requests for two or more kids who wish to play together on the same team.
• Mustang, Bronco & Pony (ages 9-14) - recreational:  Coaches may protect 2 players (and up to 2 more if they recruit 1 or 2 sponsors) and the remainder of the team is drafted (see below).
• Mustang, Bronco & Pony (ages 9-14) - competitive:  Coaches bring in a full team of 12 players.
• Colt (ages 15-18):  Coaches may protect up to 9 players and the remainder of the team is drafted (see below).

Tryouts/Draft:  Non-protected players are requested to attend a tryout session which the coaches use to evaluate the players. The coaches then draft the players onto their teams. (Note: no players are cut at these tryout sessions; all registered players are placed onto teams.)

When is registration? (return to top)

General registration for ages 5 to 14 is held in January. Registration for players 15-18 extends a little later. The exact dates for registration sessions and deadlines are announced in the fall and posted on the web site.

What is required to be a coach? (return to top)

No special training is required to coach in CYB. We do provide some training for coaches who desire it.

Does CYB need coaches? (return to top)

Generally, yes, we are usually in need of coaches, especially for the younger age divisions. Please fill out a Coaching Application and mail it in - and/or check the box (either Coach or Assistant Coach) on the registration form if you are interested. Please call or email if you are considering coaching and would like more information.

When does the season start? (return to top)

The 2012 Opening Day for ages 4-12 is scheduled for Saturday, March 24 at Arrowhead Park

When does the season end? (return to top)

• Shetland & Pinto divisions (ages 5-8) - final games should be around mid-May.
• Mustang, Bronco & Pony (ages 9-14) - post-season tournament should be completed in early June
• Colt (ages 15-18) - season should be completed in early June.

How many games are there? (return to top)

The normal season is 14 games (16 for the Colt division). In addition, for the Mustang, Bronco & Pony divisions (ages 9-14), there is a post-season double elimination tournament. Also, for the Mustang & Bronco divisions, all-star games are held at the end of the season.

Where are the games played? (return to top)

Fields for the 2012 spring season are:

• Shetland & Pinto (ages 4-8) - either at Desert Breeze Park or Arrowhead Park, depending on team counts (Opening Day at Arrowhead)
• Mustang (ages 9-10) - Arrowhead Park, south fields
• Bronco (ages 11-12) - Arrowhead Park, north fields
• Pony (ages 13-14) - Pima Park, west field
• Colt (ages 15-18) - Espee Park, field #1

For the location of these parks, click on maps.

When are the games played? (return to top)

Games are generally scheduled randomly on all weekday evenings and on Saturday mornings. Evening games for T-ball (Shetland) games start at 5:30 only; other divisions have two games per field scheduled each night.

Does CYB have post-season tournament teams? (return to top)

Yes. Our association with PONY baseball allows us to send teams for ages 9 and up to post-season PONY tournaments, the first-round of which is generally held in the East Valley. Winning teams continue to advance - up to the PONY World Series. We also have PONY Arizona Regional tournaments for all-star Shetland & Pinto teams.

Are players awarded trophies? (return to top)

All players in the Shetland & Pinto divisions (ages 4-8) receive participation trophies at the end of the season. In the older divisions (9 and up), trophies are usually awarded for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place during the regular season and medals for 1st & 2nd place in the post-season tournament.

Are uniforms provided? (return to top)

Yes - shirts and hats are provided for all levels, with socks included for ages 9 and up. Pants are not provided. Shirts and hats are also provided for the coaches.

Do players have to live in Chandler to play in CYB? (return to top)

By agreement with the City of Chandler, we are allowed to register three players per team who live outside of Chandler. These are accepted on a first-come first-serve basis. For the purposes of this rule, players who live outside of Chandler but attend school within the City of Chandler are considered residents.

What is involved in sponsoring a team? (return to top)

CYB needs local businesses to sponsor our teams to help keep our registration fees low. The cost to sponsor is $300. The sponsor receives a plaque with the team picture and a banner to be displayed on our outfield fence. In addition, a list of our sponsors is distributed on Opening Day and is published on our web site.

Can girls play in CYB? (return to top)

Absolutely - and a number of girls do play in CYB every year, especially in the younger age divisions. For those girls who prefer softball, we recommend Chandler Girls Softball.

Is insurance provided for players? (return to top)

Yes. We purchase supplemental insurance for all of our players through Gagliardi Insurance. Any players injured during practice or games are covered.

Can a player request to be on the same team as another player? (return to top)

Yes. All such requests are honored for the Shetland & Pinto divisions (ages 4-8). And, for ages 9 and up, two players may request to be drafted together by the same coach (sorry - no more than two players).

Can a player play in CYB if he is playing in another league? (return to top)

CYB has no restrictions regarding a player playing in other leagues at the same time. We do ask that the player notify his CYB coach so that the coach is aware of possible conflicts, etc. And if that player is a pitcher, the player is expected to work with his coaches to avoid excessive pitching innings which could cause injury.