jmspears3

I guess you think there would be no politics in PONY? : Their are politics everywhere, you have to be here to understand what I am talking about. Little League needs to change their rules or pretty soon they will be obsolete. They will continue to lose kids to pony or select. There is more to the game than just standing on a base after you walk or get a hit. I disagree totally. PONY rules allow stolen bases at will for the younger players. I get sick of seeing a walk and two stolen bases(all the while the batter has the bat on his shoulder waiting until the runner gets to third.) No force outs at second, no double plays, and a pitcher who is just fighting to get the ball over the plate while all this is going on. It's a lot further from real baseball than little league. My opinion, for what's its worth. My kids played Pony baseball. With that in mind: For Mustang (9 & 10 yo in Pony), close the bases (no leads, like Little League). Its hard enough for kids learning to pitch to get the ball over the plate consistently without having to learn how to hold a runner on. For Bronco (11 & 12 yo), keep it as it is (allow leads, etc). I will acknowledge that for the more talented select teams, 9 & 10 yo can do a good job of holding runners at first. For the average league player though it can be a bit of a challenge. Just my opinion. IMO that is why they have league and select. If your kid is one of the more talented players, they will have no problem learning the game as a 9 yr old. If you are going to learn how to pitch you should learn to pitch with open bases. I agree

Thanks, I found them. They are the SE Texas Gators. Good luck this weekend guys. If you get a chance you should go play in Baton Rouge at Cypress Mounds. It's a Cal Ripkin facility and it is really nice. We were lucky enough to play one of the first tournaments on it last year and our 9U and 10U Blue teams are going this weekend. They have 6 teams in the 9U group so far and 12 in the 10U group. We will travel this year. I was going to play in a few Lufkin tournaments, but they lump all the select teams & Elite teams into the same bracket and I do not like it, so we will be looking for a few more out of town tournaments. Do you have that Baton Rouge website? I have been coaching and managing a select team for 6 years and have played a bunch of tournaments in Lufkin and Nacogdoches. The competition up there is very, very good. And it does not matter what their classification is because they do not play enough in the larger area to get attention. This means that they fly under the radar so to speak and can be classed as a select or AA and really be very competitive in the elite or AAA. Very nice tournaments and very good people. It is always good to play some competition like this, it will only make your kids better. Yeah...I used to be on the board for LYBA when we lived up there. Judy runs a good tournament, My oldest son select team that I coached, we just had some bad experiences with the seeding of some of the tournaments.

Thanks, I found them. They are the SE Texas Gators. Good luck this weekend guys. If you get a chance you should go play in Baton Rouge at Cypress Mounds. It's a Cal Ripkin facility and it is really nice. We were lucky enough to play one of the first tournaments on it last year and our 9U and 10U Blue teams are going this weekend. They have 6 teams in the 9U group so far and 12 in the 10U group. We will travel this year. I was going to play in a few Lufkin tournaments, but they lump all the select teams & Elite teams into the same bracket and I do not like it, so we will be looking for a few more out of town tournaments. Do you have that Baton Rouge website? [Hidden Content] Very nice park. I am going to play there in May, most likely Mothers Day Weekend. That ought to make all the Mothers happy ;D ;D

Thanks, I found them. They are the SE Texas Gators. Good luck this weekend guys. If you get a chance you should go play in Baton Rouge at Cypress Mounds. It's a Cal Ripkin facility and it is really nice. We were lucky enough to play one of the first tournaments on it last year and our 9U and 10U Blue teams are going this weekend. They have 6 teams in the 9U group so far and 12 in the 10U group. We will travel this year. I was going to play in a few Lufkin tournaments, but they lump all the select teams & Elite teams into the same bracket and I do not like it, so we will be looking for a few more out of town tournaments. Do you have that Baton Rouge website?

You are correct, but we will not play until the last weekend in March. I have kids with different spring breaks so some will be out of town this week and next week

Duhhhhhhhhhhh..............look at his avatar under his screen name!!!! :D KP You are a smart man :D

11 & Under. We have only 1 kid from Silsbee the rest are from Beaumont, Lumberton & Sour Lake

I guess you think there would be no politics in PONY? : Their are politics everywhere, you have to be here to understand what I am talking about. Little League needs to change their rules or pretty soon they will be obsolete. They will continue to lose kids to pony or select. There is more to the game than just standing on a base after you walk or get a hit. I disagree totally. PONY rules allow stolen bases at will for the younger players. I get sick of seeing a walk and two stolen bases(all the while the batter has the bat on his shoulder waiting until the runner gets to third.) No force outs at second, no double plays, and a pitcher who is just fighting to get the ball over the plate while all this is going on. It's a lot further from real baseball than little league. If you think you get real baseball in little league well....thats funny. In Pony Pitchers have to learn how to pitch from the stretch, throw over to first. Runners have to learn how to lead-off. Coaches actually have to know a little something about the game in Pony or select. I have coached both Pony and little league for over 10 yrs and there is no comparison. Only 10 years? I thought you sounded like a rookie. :D I don't hold it against you. JK I said over 10 yrs... 18 to be exact and I coach a select team that plays 9 months out of the year.

Well I stunk at the regular season pickems, might as well stink at this one Class 5A Strake Jesuit DeSota Championship Strake Cedar Hill Converse Wagner Class 4A Houston Yates Mansfield Timberview Championship Yates Dallas Kimball Austin Johnson Class 3A Lubbock Estacado Hardin-Jefferson Championship Madison Dallas Madison Stafford Class 2A Ponder Santa Rosa Championship NW New Waverly Shallowater Class 1A Div. I Plains San Antonio Stacey Championship Tenaha Tenaha Roscoe Class 1A Div. II Leggett Nazereth Championship Nazereth Lipan Slocum

I guess you think there would be no politics in PONY? : Their are politics everywhere, you have to be here to understand what I am talking about. Little League needs to change their rules or pretty soon they will be obsolete. They will continue to lose kids to pony or select. There is more to the game than just standing on a base after you walk or get a hit. I disagree totally. PONY rules allow stolen bases at will for the younger players. I get sick of seeing a walk and two stolen bases(all the while the batter has the bat on his shoulder waiting until the runner gets to third.) No force outs at second, no double plays, and a pitcher who is just fighting to get the ball over the plate while all this is going on. It's a lot further from real baseball than little league. If you think you get real baseball in little league well....thats funny. In Pony Pitchers have to learn how to pitch from the stretch, throw over to first. Runners have to learn how to lead-off. Coaches actually have to know a little something about the game in Pony or select. I have coached both Pony and little league for over 10 yrs and there is no comparison.

No disrespect to HJ, but I am one of those people.

I guess you think there would be no politics in PONY? : Their are politics everywhere, you have to be here to understand what I am talking about. Little League needs to change their rules or pretty soon they will be obsolete. They will continue to lose kids to pony or select. There is more to the game than just standing on a base after you walk or get a hit.

I know...I have 6 kids on my select team from TC...I heard a rumor that SL has a pretty good Basketball team as well, but you know how rumors are ;D ;D

They need to get rid of little league and go Pony...let the kids play real baseball. Way to much politics for my liking.

Here is a very "novel" thought for those seeking to "disprove" the authenticity of the HJ Regional Championship. 1. Congratulations Silsbee for winning the 2008 Regional Tourney in spite of losing 2 of three pre tournament contests to your arch-rival Hardin Jefferson. You proved you were the better team at the time it mattered most. 2. Congratulations HJ for winning the 2009 Regional Tourney in spite of losing 2 of three pre tournament contests to your arch-rival Silsbee. You proved you were the better team at the time it mattered most. Could someone please let me know if there is a lack of logic in those two statements because it seems reasonably compelling to me. Let it go. Why are you trying to start something, Nobody is making excuses are implying anything. Jasper outplayed Silsbee and that is what it is. Congrats to HJ

Congrats to HJ. Your coaching staff made some great halftime adjustments to shut down Spikes in the 3rd and 4th quarter.

I am still here..I have been at the regional tournament.

Good luck Brady. You are an outstanding young man. I know you will be successful in the most important game....Life

It was HS basketball at its finest ;D ;D ;D

I think the Hot water from the jacuzzi and the cold beer is starting to take effect :D

You and me both

Gotta go with my 21-3A brothers HJ by 5

That would be shocking ;D ;D

They should be serving crow on a all you can eat buffet tonight :'( :'(

Congrats Jasper...You guys out played Silsbee tonight. I am eating crow right now anyone and it is nasty :(