Phoenix PONY Baseball

Phoenix PONY Baseball

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 Message from the President 5/1/2021


Welcome Back to PONY Baseball!

I have a confession for all of you.  Since the cancellation of the last few seasons due to COVID, I have avoided all things baseball.  It pained me to drive by the fields that should have been packed with players and their families to see them empty and in disrepair.  I didn't even talk baseball around the house because I know what the game means to my son and I could see how much he missed it.

The frustration that we all dealt with not knowing what the future held felt especially heavy to me because I was worried that the league may not be able to survive multiple seasons of no players and no revenue.  Then in the middle of all this, I learned that we had a significant amount of equipment taken from our storage area. On top of this, when I called our insurance company (that we had used for decades) to report the loss, I learned that they had declared bankruptcy during the pandemic and none of those losses would be covered nor would our premiums be refunded. Basically, the league would have to absorb the total loss.

It was disheartening on many levels and I admit, I considered the option of discontinuing the league. Then, I got a text late one night letting me know of the sudden passing of former league member Pedro Gomez of ESPN sports.  I immediately thought of the speech he gave at our last opening day.  How he relayed to everyone how much this league meant to he and his family over the years. How the league is about more than just baseball.

I remembered the tears in the eyes of some of us standing around that day as he spoke so eloquently of what baseball and the league meant to him and I reflected on all that he, and others like him, have contributed to the league in time and talent over the years.

I knew then, that it was time to start thinking about baseball again.  Time to start putting the pandemic delays behind us. Time to figure out a path forward for the community so that young families and players have a place to meet and cheer and create friendships that would last them a lifetime. And yes, a place to teach players a love of this great game.

So, I am pleased to say, today we are opening Registration for Fall 2021 Phoenix PONY baseball! This marks our 35th year of providing baseball in the community. I am guessing it may end up looking a little different than it has in past years, but it is time to try.

There will be many challenges this year.  We will need to replace equipment that was taken. We need to find new volunteers as many of our old volunteers players have aged out during the hiatus. We may still be faced with COVID requirements and restrictions come Fall, but I think if we all work together there is a path forward.

How can you help? While the league's finances remained stable throughout the pandemic due to wise decision making by the Board, the equipment losses are an unexpected expense.  So, In this year's registration, we have added a donation field for equipment replacement.  If you are able to donate a small amount, this would go a long way to help replace the lost equipment. Also, if you have catcher's equipment or other items your player has outgrown that you could donate, let us know and we can make arrangements for that.

We also need people to volunteer for roles within the organization to assist with league operations.  Because we are a youth sports organization, volunteers typically serve throughout the duration of their players time in the league. The current Board has been serving diligently for several years and their players are getting older and it is time to start looking for the future leaders who will carry on the great traditions of this organization.  Honestly, the pay is terrible (there is none), the hours can sometimes be long, but the work is some of the most rewarding work I do.  There is nothing like standing on the freshly groomed fields in the morning quiet of opening day; watching friends and families starting to file in for the start of a new season of baseball to know that the work is worthwhile.  If you have interest in any role in the organization large or small, please reach out to us through the website and we will figure out what the best way for you to help is.

Thanks to everyone for their patience during the COVID hiatus and I hope you are all ready to Play Ball!






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Phoenix PONY Baseball

PO Box 93565 
Phoenix, Arizona 85070

Email Us: [email protected]
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