Parents’ Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to buy any equipment?
Players only need a baseball glove. A protective cup is strongly recommended. Shoes with cleats, either baseball or soccer type, provide better footing and increase player safety. The league supplies bats, batting helmets, and catcher’s gear. Each player gets a uniform including major league style cap and jersey. Players get to keep their cap, pants, and socks. Since the jersey must be returned at the end of the season, please do not alter it or add a name to the back of it. Jerseys cost $12 to $20 depending on size, so please make sure you return it to your team manager at the end of the season.
Does the league carry insurance?
The league carries liability insurance as required by PONY Baseball, the Pleasant Valley School District, and the Pleasant Valley Recreation and Parks District. For many years, CPBA carried a secondary health insurance policy. As costs rose over the years, and use of the policy was rather infrequent, the Board decided a few years ago to discontinue this coverage.
CPBA does not carry any form of health care or accident insurance. Parents are responsible for any costs for health care incurred due to injury as a result of a child participating in Camarillo PONY Baseball.
What is league policy on refunds?
Occasionally players who have registered are unable to play due to injury, doing poorly in school, family relocation. If the player notifies the league he needs to withdraw before uniforms are issued, the entire fee, including snack bar fee, is refunded. Refunds are subject to a $25.00 administrative fee.
After practice begins and a uniform has been issued, a refund, including snack bar fee, will be issued after the team jersey has been returned. The player may keep the pants, hat and socks. Refunds at this time are subject to a $50.00 administrative fee.
After opening day, no refunds will be issued.
Refunds are made by check – with delivery via regular U.S. mail.
How much will my child get to play?
All leagues utilize round-robin batting which means all players bat in order, guaranteeing every player a turn at bat. Our By-Laws specify minimum defensive playing time requirements.
In Shetland, all players will play all innings. In Pinto A and Pinto AA, all players will play at least one half of the game. No player will sit out two innings until every player has sat out one inning. Each player will play at least one inning in the infield.
In the Mustang Leagues, each player will play at least one half of the game. In all other leagues, each player will play at least four defensive innings. In a shortened game, players that have not played at least half the number of innings will play the first three innings of the next game.
Playing time rules are very important and the penalties for not adhering to them are strong. If you believe your child has not been given his fair amount of playing time, check with the team manager immediately.
How are balanced teams created?
Instructional league teams (Shetland) are formed based, as best as possible, by the neighborhood (based on the school attended info on each registration form).
Competitive league teams (Pinto, Mustang, Bronco, Pony and Colt/Palomino) are formed by means of a player draft based on individual manager and CPBA Board of Directors skills ratings scores.
How does the two league system work?
Beginning with the players in Pinto, and continuing through Mustang, Bronco and Pony, each age group has two leagues. Contrary to common misperception, both leagues are competitive with league standings, and trophies for the season and post-season tournament winners.
The leagues are formed based on player ability (as evaluated on skill rating days) to increase the safety of the players by grouping players with similar physical ability. In leagues as large as ours, where age groups can exceed 200 players, both the safety of the players and the enjoyment of the game for the players are enhanced by grouping players by ability.
The AA league teams are formed first by means of a player draft based on skills ratings scores and the managers’ individual ratings. The Board selects the AA managers, and they select the approximately 1/3 of the players to play in their respective league.
After the completion of the AA leagues drafts, the Mustang A, Bronco A, and Pony A leagues managers draft from the remaining players and the Pinto A teams are placed on a team based on their skills by the Director of Players.
Important Notice: Players who did not attend a skills ratings day are not eligible for AA level play. Players who did not attend a skills ratings day may be placed on a waiting list if there are enough players who attended skills ratings to fill the A league teams. These waiting list players will be added to teams as players are injured or move away from the area.
Can I request or refuse a certain league or coach?
If you or your child had a bad experience with a certain manager you may request in writing that a particular manager not select your child. Only one request will be considered and an explanation for the request must be submitted. This request cannot be used in an attempt to increase the probability of being selected by a more preferred manager. The request must be provided to the Board of Directors President or his designee at least 48 hours prior to any draft. The President with two other Board members will approve or reject the request. If approved, the affected manager will be informed prior to the draft.
Coach requests in the instructional leagues are honored to the best of our ability. Even though these leagues are instructional, the team makeup is reviewed to ensure that no one team will dominate any other team. Competitive league teams (Mustang and above) are formed by a draft so coach requests are not possible.
Requests to not play in the AA leagues are no longer accepted. If your child is drafted by an AA manager and if for some reason you do not want your child to play AA, you can request that the Board of Directors review your particular situation.
What kinds of awards are given?
The league supplies participation trophies for all players in instructional leagues. Competitive league teams who are regular season league champions and those placing 1st or 2nd in their post-season tournament receive trophies at the closing ceremony.
How does the post-season tournament work?
All competitive league teams participate in a post-season tournament. The purpose of the regular season is to develop players’ skills and build the best possible team for the post-season tournament. Tournaments begin in mid-May and end before the Memorial Day weekend. It is the most exciting part of the baseball season because it provides every team a fresh opportunity to become a champion. Parents decorate their teams dugouts and cheer with more enthusiasm than ever as the tourney progresses toward conclusion. Substitution rules are relaxed slightly, but all players must still play at least half the defensive innings.
How are All-Star teams selected?
Each competitive league selects All-Star teams. Players from AA and Colt/Palomino leagues teams compete in tournament play all over Southern California. Pinto A, Mustang A, Bronco A, and Pony A leagues will participate in a tournament at the end of the season in Camarillo. The Board of Directors decides the format of the tournament in Camarillo.
Pinto A, Mustang A, Bronco A, and Pony A leagues All-Star teams are selected by a vote of the players. The Board of Directors selects the managers. Each team determines which players will represent their team during the exhibition series here in Camarillo.
If the Board of Directors determines it is appropriate, the Pinto National league may have an All-Star team selected by the managers to play in the PONY-sanctioned tournament. The Board of Directors will determine if additional All -Star teams will be selected to play an exhibition series in Camarillo.
The Board of Directors selects the AA All-Star teams’ managers and the managers in the league select the All-Star players. Each league selects two teams for tournaments, which take place during the summer.
A complex set of rules and procedures has been developed over the years to ensure the best coaches and the most deserving players are chosen, who will best represent Camarillo in tournaments which lead to the PONY Baseball World Series held in August. Player selection is done under the direct supervision of the Board of Directors to ensure proper procedures are followed.
No matter how good the rules, selection of All-Star teams is highly subjective, and is often the source of hard feelings. If both ESPN and the LA Times couldn't figure out that Babe Ruth was the most outstanding athlete of the 20th Century, certainly it's understandable that our system makes mistakes too. To accurately pick the best 12 or 24 players in a league of 72 is impossible.
If your child feels he should have been selected and was not, please explain to him the difficulty of the job selecting a team.
What is the Board of Directors?
The Board of Directors is composed of adults who volunteer their time and talents to provide a successful youth baseball program for our community. Together they make the decisions regarding how the entire league is run. These members are primarily parents of players in the various leagues that make up CPBA.
When and where does the Board meet?
The Board generally meets the first Thursday of every month at the Community Center. The general public is encouraged to attend and we welcome your presence.
What are the job descriptions of the various officers?
President -The President is the general manager who has the responsibility of supervising all the affairs of CPBA to ensure the entire organization runs smoothly.
Vice President - The Vice President presides in the absence of the President and is a member of all standing committees.
Secretary -The Secretary keeps a record of the proceedings of all meetings, is the official custodian of the Constitution and Articles of Incorporation of CPBA, and also prepares correspondence.
Treasurer -The Treasurer handles the accounts and business transactions of CPBA. He also gives a monthly financial report to the Board.
Director of Umpires - The Director of Umpires trains, supervises, and schedules the umpiring staff. He also sits as Chairperson of the Protest Board.
Director of Procedures -The Director of Procedures is responsible for preparing and interpreting our By-Laws, which govern our organization. He is also a member of the Protest Board.
Director of Equipment -The Director of Equipment is responsible for maintaining, distributing, and collecting at the end of the season all equipment owned by CPBA.
Director of Facilities - The Director of Facilities is responsible, with the PVSD and PVRPD, for the maintenance and condition of the playing facilities used by CPBA.
Director of Sponsors - The Director of Sponsors recruits team, as well as league, sponsors.
Director of Commissioners (AA and Colt/Palomino Leagues) - This Director is responsible for monitoring the affairs of the AA and Colt/Palomino leagues. He also recommends and then supervises the conduct of the league commissioners and managers, subject to Board approval.
Director of Commissioners (A Leagues) - This Director is responsible for monitoring the affairs of the A leagues. He also recommends and then supervises the league commissioners and managers, subject to Board approval.
Director of Commissioners (Instructional Leagues) - This Director is responsible for monitoring the affairs of the instructional leagues. He also recommends and then supervises the league commissioners and managers, subject to Board approval.
Director of Players (Mustang, Bronco, Pony and Colt/Palomino) - This Director is in charge of the registration, skills ratings, assignment of players to teams, and replacement of all players ages 9 to 18 years old. This Director also works with the Director of Commissioners to supervise the individual league commissioners.
Director of Players (Instructional Leagues) - This Director is in charge of the registration, assignment of players to teams, and replacement of all players ages 5 to 8 years old. This Director also works with the Director of Commissioners to supervise the individual league commissioners.
Director of Player Welfare - The Director of Player Welfare supervises all requests for scholarships and grant monies and is responsible for the running of the snack bar. This Director works with the Head Team Parent and snack bar supervisor to assign all snack bar duties.
Director of Fundraising - The Director of Fundraising is responsible for the annual fundraising events.
How are the members of the board elected?
Nominations for candidates are submitted to the Board prior to the general election which is generally held the first Thursday in June. All Board members are elected to a two-year term and are voted upon by the general membership. Please think about volunteering your time to become a member of the Board. Ask any Board member for more information.
Who is the general membership?
Parents or legal guardians of all youths participating in the program are considered active and voting members of the general membership. Other adults who show sufficient interest may become members of the general membership if approved by the Board of Directors.
Who else assists in running CPBA?
There are numerous other people who are necessary to run CPBA. Some of these volunteers include Head Team Parents, League Parents, Webmaster, League Commissioners, Snack Bar Manager, Team Managers and Coaches, Team Parents and Umpires. We could not possibly run the organization without all these wonderful volunteers. Please consider volunteering your time too. Ask any Board member for more information.
