Frequently Asked Questions

 Where do I need to live and where does NSBA play?

• Our boundaries are the ship canal north to 205th, from Lake Washington to the Puget Sound.  You must live inside of these boundaries in order to play in our league.  Games and practices are generally held in the North and Northeast section of Seattle at various fields.  Dahl Field, Meadowbrook Field, Summit, John Rogers and Ingraham High School are some of the fields we use.

What makes NSBA different from little league?

• NSBA plays by Pony Baseball rules.  Little League plays by Little League rules.  Some key differences are: We allow full leading off and stealing beginning at the kid pitch level which requires pitchers to learn to pitch from the stretch.  We allow runners to run on dropped third strikes and we allow on-deck batters etc.  We move the bases back 10 feet every two years beginning at age 9, where little league plays 60 foot bases until kids turn 13 years of age.  Our 9 and 10 year olds play on 60 foot bases, our 11 and 12 year olds play on 70 foot bases, and our 13 and 14 year olds play on 80 foot bases.  Our 15 year olds and up play on 90 foot bases.  Of course the pitchers mound moves back accordingly as well. 

 How competitive is the  NSBA?

• We have been told that many people perceive NSBA to be more competitive than the local Little Leagues.  We do take baseball serious and we have a lot of passionate coaches and players.   But, first and foremost, we are a recreational league designed for players of all skill levels with the goal of making the game fun for all.

Does NSBA have a girls Softball League?

• No, NSBA does not have girls softball.  Girls are always welcome and encouraged to play baseball in our league and we have numerous girls, especially at the Shetland and Pinto levels.  If you are specifically looking for softball then you might try your local Little League which may have girls softball.

Can I help out or volunteer?

• By all means, yes.   At various times, we form committee's to look into issues, we need help setting up for the Spring Jamboree, We need coaches, assistant coaches, etc.  If you would like to become a board member,  generally our first fall meeting every year is to establish new board members.

Are there rules and by-laws under which NSBA operates?

• Yes, please see our Documents page.

Can my son or daughter and their friends play together?

• We allow teams at the Shetland (tee-ball) and Pinto (Coach Pitch) levels to build their teams with the oversight of the applicable commissioner.  This means that in most cases, we can keep friends and classmates together.  Occasionally, for demographics reasons, we must split up teams in an effort to try to improve parity in the league.  At the Mustang level and above, we use a try-out and player draft in an effort to establish parity amongst all teams.

I've heard that some players were locked.  What does this mean?

• At the Mustang  and Bronco levels, the coach gets 2 junior player locks and 2 senior player locks.   These locks were instituted in order to ensure that a coach could have his son, and the son of an assistant coach on his team.  So a 2nd year Mustang coach could lock two 9 year old players with the hope that these two players fathers will take over the team the following year thereby ensuring coaching continuity.  The previous years 9 year olds return as senior (10 year old) locks.  Should one of those players decide not to play, that coach may go out an lock an additional 10 year old.

Which division should my son or daughter play in?

• We group kids according to their league age.  Please go to our Divisions page to see which division your son or daughter should be playing in.

Can my son or daughter play up?

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  For the 2009 season, NSBA will be using the traditional age determination and not allow players to play up with one exception.  14 year olds attending high school will be allowed to play in the Colt division to eliminate conflicts with the high school baseball schedules.

  Pony National  has allowed leagues to choose between between the “TRADITIONAL” two year age program and/or the “AND UNDER” program in each age group. 

How do I register a concern?

• It is NSBA's policy to only deal with concerns or comments that have been put in writing.   If you have a complaint or comment, please take the time send an email to the appropriate commissioner or board member.

What is the All-Star Team Selection Process?

• The all-star teams often begin their formation  in the late April and early May time frame.  We begin to assemble these teams in this time frame in order to send our best teams to the various Memorial Day tournaments held in late May.   We leave open the possibility that some kids may not have had enough time to shine, therefore the teams at the Memorial Day tournaments may go through a few changes even after Memorial Day.  Generally speaking, an all-star coach is voted upon by other coaches in that division. This coach then holds Sunday Ball tryouts which any player is welcome to attend.  After several Sunday Ball tryouts, the head coach and his coaching staff then select the players.