WELCOME TO THE PLAYER'S CORNER!

All players and parents registered to play on an MPK Pony Baseball and USA Softball are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that is above and beyond respectful of others and reflects positively on the MPK Pony Baseball and USA Softball and the MPK community.

Sportsmanship
All players and parents must learn and display a sense of fair play. Be humble in victory, gracious in defeat. Players and parents must represent your team and the MPK Pony Baseball and USA Softball and MPK Community by showing good sportsmanship at all times, win or lose.

Respect, Integrity and Pursuit of Excellence
All players and parents must treat all others as you expect to be treated. Strive to perform each aspect of the game to the highest level of your ability and with the highest level of integrity and fair play. Support your team and teammates at all times. Respect all opponents’ players and parents at all times. Strive to excellence.

Player Conduct
• Each player will agree to the following:
• Respect your Coach, Coaches, Teammates, Parents, Opponents, Spectators, and Umpires.
• Never argue with an umpire’s call or decision.
• No swearing, harassment, or inappropriate behavior or language will be tolerated.
• Always have a positive attitude win or lose.
• Teamwork is not a preference; it is a requirement‐ Encourage one another.
• Always support your team and teammates. Be the first to praise others and the last brag or draw attention to yourself.
• Be the first to lead by example and the last to violate team standards or rules.
• Attend every practice and every game, and agree to notify your coach if you cannot be there.
• Be responsible to help clean up the field, dugout after all practices and games.
• No use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Drugs will be Tolerated
• No defaming of coaches, teammates VIA any electronic or social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) text messages, etc.
• Work at home to improve your skills. Always pay attention to your coach’s instructions.
• Always give your best effort in practices and games. When you fail, do your best again.
• HAVE FUN!

Glove
The most important aspect of the glove is being well broken in with a decent pocket. We recommend getting a bigger glove than you think, even for young players. Make sure the glove is well broken in or conditioned, so the player is able to squeeze it. If you are planning to buy a brand-new glove, make sure to set aside time to condition the glove before the start of the season.Catcher’s mitt - With the exception of a catcher’s mitt, specialized position gloves (like a first baseman’s glove or outfielder’s glove) are not required in PONY baseball. Starting in the Mustang division, catchers are required to use a catcher’s mitt.

Cleats
Cleats are recommended for Shetland divisions and above. Rubber-soled or rubber-cleated shoes are permitted. Metal cleats are prohibited for all divisions except Pony 14U.

Bat
With the exception of -3 BBCOR bats, all bats must have the USAB at licensing stamp on it to be used in PONY baseball. You can read the detailed bat rules here. 
Tee Ball bats may be used in the Shetland divisions during the regular season. Regular baseball bats must be used starting in the Pinto division and above. 

When selecting a bat, pay attention to
-the weight of the bat
-the length of the bat
-the barrel diameter of the bat 
Bat Weight
2 5/8" is the maximum barrel size allowed on a USA Bat and most players will want those big barrel bats. 
For the youngest players, you may want to go as light as possible, but as the kids approach Pinto age, they should be ready to swing a 27" bat or bigger (typically 17oz or more). There are very few bats shorter than 27" that are legal in Pinto baseball. 
The key is to have a bat that a player can consistently swing level. If a bat is too heavy, the barrel will drop and it will be harder for the player to make consistent contact. Baseball Express has a pretty good bat sizing chart.

Batting Helmet
Each player is required to have their own baseball batting helmet. The helmet needs to be a proper baseball helmet (not a helmet repurposed from another sport).  The use of face masks and jaw guards on protective head gear is not required, but it is recommended for additional safety, especially in our older divisions with live pitching (Pinto and above). Many players like to personalize their helmets with stickers. Face masks and jaw guards are highly recommended.

Cup
A protective cup is required for all male players starting at Shetland division and above.  Female players are not required to wear a protective cup

Uniform
MPK Pony Baseball and USA Softball will provide each player with a team jersey and hat. Players are responsible for purchasing their own pants, belts, and socks. Please hold off on purchasing baseball pants, belt, and socks until team names and uniform colors have been determined. Your head coach will be in touch a few weeks before the season starts with details about the uniform colors and recommended style/color for pants, belt, and socks.

Face Mask/Fielders Mask
Face mask will be required for all softball players in all our divisions. These are masks worn on the field to protect players faces from bad hops, missed fly balls, or missed thrown balls. Fielder's mask is highly recommended for baseball but not a requirement

Optional Equipment

Backpack 
Baseball backpacks and bags are entirely optional, but can be very useful. It’s a great way for players to keep their baseball gear organized, both at home and in the dugout. Most baseball backpacks will have a sleeve for a bat, room for a helmet, a separate pocket for cleats, and a hook to allow the backpacks to be hung on a chain link fence.

Batting Gloves 
Batting gloves are completely a personal choice. At the younger levels they are just a fun accessory, so the players can look like the pros! Youth playing in Mustang and above divisions may find wearing batting gloves can help increase the quality of their grip on the bat. 

Catcher’s Gear
Catcher’s gear consists of a catcher’s mitt, helmet (with throat guard), leg guards, and chest protector. DBPB maintains one set of catcher’s gear for each team in the Shetland and Pinto divisions. By Mustang most catchers are purchasing their own gear due to differences in player size, brand preferences, and role specialization. 

Eye Black 
Eye black is used to reduce the amount of glare from sunlight. Kids love the way it looks and that's really why they wear it.  

Elbow Guard 
One of the more common injuries sustained on the baseball diamond is getting hit on the elbow during an at-bat. And it can hurt. But an elbow guard can help. Worn over the joint, elbow guards offer hard-shell coverage to the area and disperse energy upon impact. With the exception of the upper divisions, most pitchers are not throwing hard enough to inflict more than mild bruising with their pitches.