PONY leagues play a significant role in local communities

PONY baseball is alive and well in the Conejo Valley.

Two of the largest local leagues are Westlake Baseball Association and Agoura Pony Baseball (APB), which combined have nearly 1,800 players.

According to Westlake Baseball commissioner Mark Adler, his league is home to just under 800 ballplayers. APB president Eric Fulton said there are approximately 960 kids in Agoura's league.

"We're one of the biggest leagues in our region," Fulton said.

Both leagues compete in the North Coast Region, which is comprised of teams from Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

PONY, an acronym for Protect Our Nation's Youth, is similar to Little League, although the two are not affiliated. Like Little League, PONY baseball hosts championship tournaments at the conclusion of the season.

In 2002, a team from APB won a Bronco Division World Series title. Several of those players are now on Agoura High's squad, which ascended to the No. 1 ranking in the latest Baseball America/ National High School Baseball Coaches Association Top 25 poll.

Last year, Westlake Baseball's Shetland all-star team captured a regional World Series championship. That team was honored last night during a ceremony at Westlake City Hall.

Similar to Little League, the No. 1 goal in PONY leagues is to provide a fun atmosphere where kids can learn the game of baseball. Many of the differences between PONY baseball and Little League have to do with rules, Adler said.

"In Little League there's no stealing or leadoffs," Adler said. "In PONY you can lead off. At a certain age you can steal bases. There are some differences between what you can do and what you can't do."

Players are separated into divisions based on age and ability levels-Shetland (5-6), Pinto (7-8), Mustang (9-10), Bronco (11-12) and PONY (13-15). In addition, Fulton said APB was one of the first leagues in the country to start a Very Important Players (VIP) division for special-needs kids.

"We have kids that are autistic, in wheelchairs, all sorts of various handicaps," Fulton said. "This year we have the most we've ever had. We have 45 kids in that division this year."

With help from their neighbors at APB, Westlake Baseball implemented a VIP division several years ago. Newbury Park Pony Baseball opened a VIP division this year, also with some assistance from APB.

"It's a pretty neat thing," Fulton said. "We've actually received some grants from corporations for it."

Westlake Baseball and APB have both implemented rules aimed at protecting young pitchers. The rules vary per division and pitch counts can expand as the season progresses. There are also mandatory rest periods after a pitcher throws from the mound.

"Without that rest period these young children, their growth plates haven't quite fused together, their ligaments are very fragile," Adler said. "Overuse can really cause severe damage, especially in the future."

Westlake Baseball also has a program that teaches players who want to learn how to become umpires. The players are taught the rules, and then get to test their knowledge by umpiring games played in the younger divisions, such as Shetland and Pinto.

Adler and Fulton both said volunteers are vital to the success of any youth league. APB has a fall season and runs for nearly the entire calendar year. Westlake Baseball operates almost nine months per year. All those hours of operation mean parents and community members are always needed to lend a helping hand.

"We have people on our board that don't even have kids in the league," Fulton said. "We have coaches that don't have kids on their team. It's just people who enjoy it, whether they like the game or enjoy being around kids, they just like to do something good for the community."

ABP plays the majority of its games and tournaments at Lupin Hill, although the league also holds games at local schools and parks.

Without a true sports complex to call home, Westlake Baseball is more spread out, playing at Westlake Elementary School and Oaks Christian School, amongst other venues. Funding and land acquisition have made building a full-time home for Westlake Baseball a difficult task, Adler said.

Both leagues also maintain informative and interactive websites with up-to-date postings on anything from field conditions to scores to upcoming fundraising information.

Westlake Pony can be accessed by visiting the website www.westlakebaseball.org.

The APB website is www.agouraponybaseball.org.