Shetland League ages 5 & 6

2008 Spring Season Links

Shetland Program Introduction
Game and Practice Schedule
Game Results and Standings
Post Season Tournament
Shetland All-Star Team Links
- Shaw Park 6U All-Stars

Just prior to the Spring 2003 Season, Shaw Park made a major upgrade to the Shetland program by installing a state-of-the-art artificial turf field. What an incredible resource to teach our youngest players the great game of Baseball.

Send questions and comments regarding the Shetland League to: shetland@shawparkbaseball.com

Shetland Introduction

League Overview

The following information should provide you with a general overview of the Shetland league program designed and developed for our youngest players at Shaw Park. The age group for Shetland is determined by PONY Baseball that is adjusted before each Fall season. For Fall, the child has to be 5 or 6 as of April 30th of the following year. For Spring, the child has to be 5 or 6 as of April 30th of the current year. With this schedule, there are some 4 ½ year old kids that will qualify for this league.

League Objectives

The Shetland League at Shaw Park is dedicated to introducing young players to the game of baseball. The focus is on basic skills required to play the game including: throwing grip and mechanics, glove catching positions, base running, and batting mechanics. We also focus on the mental aspect of the game to include proper base running, single and double play outs, control of the ball, and much more. We focus on these skills during our field and batting practices and encourage parents to exercise these at home in the yard. During the games, each player can show off what they have learned during previous practices. It is really nice to see the smile on their faces when it all comes together.

Artificial Turf Baseball Field

One of our greatest assets is our state of the art Artificial Turf baseball field. Working closely with Cobb County Parks and Recreation’s VP, Eddie Cannon and his dedicated staff, the field was installed prior to the Spring of 2003 season.

This field provides the best environment in the state for teaching the game of baseball. It provides a very consistent playing surface for our development of our players. Ground balls offer a consistent bounce allowing the players to master fielding ground balls faster than other surfaces. It has proved to increase the efficiency of our field practices and makes the games fun and exciting.

Because of the excellent drainage, we can continue to play games while other fields have to close due to excess water and muddy conditions. With the dirt gone, we have eliminated the problem of kids digging holes in the outfield. The kids appear to be more focused on the game. It doesn’t get any better than this!

Equipment needed for this League

Good equipment is essential to learning and performing our best. The following is a sample of the equipment needed for this league:

Player provided

Glove	One of the most important tools that a player uses. Nothing can replace a good leather glove. New gloves take a while to break-in. You may consider a glove that your child will be able to use for a couple of years. Please consult with the local sporting goods store for recommendations on a glove size.
Bat	Another important tool of the game. It is worth the expense of purchasing your child a new bat for them to use during the season. As bats come in different lengths and weights, it is important for your child to use the same bat during practice and games for consistency. For this league, player typically use bats ranging from 25 – 27 inch. Do not buy a bat that is too big for your child, it will only slow down his progress. Please consult with a local sporting goods store for assistance. Bats contain a “drop” number (ex. –10) that represents the weight as compared to the length. An adequate bat for this league can be purchased from a sporting good store for between $20 and $40.
Tennis Shoes	Due to the Artificial Turf surface, cleats are not allowed on the field. Each player should wear normal tennis shoes. This will save you the expense of purchasing cleats. No Cleats!
Protective Cup	Each player should wear a protective athletic cup for personal protection during every practice and game.

Park provided

Uniform	The park will provide a uniform for each player and the coaches on the team. For the Fall Season, the park provides a team hat and shirt. During the Spring Season, the park provides ateam hat, shirt, pants, and socks.
Team Bat	Available for use for those who do not want to purchase a bat or anyone that forgets their bat for a particular event.
Batting Helmet	The park will provide batting helmets with the required face mask for each team
Catcher Equipment	Catcher’s helmet, chest protector and shin guards will be provided
Baseballs	The Shetland league plays with an 8-inch baseball that fits better in the hands of our young players. This helps the players of this age group get a better grip on the ball and better master the art of throwing.

Overview of the League Divisions

The Shetland League consists of two divisions: American and National. The American Division provides the optimal environment for our first year players. The rules for the American Division have been developed to maximize the experience of our youngest players while providing then the opportunity to experience all positions on the field. The National Division allows our experienced, second-year players to culminate their talents in preparation for the Pinto League. The National Division rules are slightly different from the American League to strengthen the talents of these experienced players. Please see the Shaw Park Playing Rules document for complete details of the Shetland League rules for each division.

Overview of a Game

You are generally asked to be at the field 15-30 minutes prior to your scheduled game time. Players are allowed to warm-up on the field for 5-10 minutes before the start of the game. Shetland games last approximately 1 hour. Most team managers will hold a brief team meeting after the game to talk about game situations, exciting plays and discuss the next team events. Typically this league will play 3-4 innings per game in the allotted time. Innings are limited to 3 outs or 4 runs scored.

Overview of Seasons

We offer both a Fall and Spring season in our Shetland program. The Fall season begins registration in the August timeframe with about 6 weeks of games beginning in early September. The Spring season begin registration in the January timeframe with about 8 weeks of games beginning in early March. Opening day for both seasons is preceded with three weeks of practice. Once the games begin, a typical week consists of 2 games (1 Saturday and 1 during the week) and 2 practices (1 field and 1 batting).

At the end of the Spring season, there is a two-week tournament that includes all teams. This is a double elimination tournament offering great fun for the kids and families.

Following the Spring Season Tournament, we create four in-park All-Star teams that will play a couple of games over one weekend. This allows the top players of the league to really test their talents among the best of the league and proves to be very exciting for the kids. We also create a 12 player tournament All-Star team that will play in a couple of local tournaments and will ultimately represent the park in it’s own Larry Hutson Tournament. The Larry Hutson Tournament is held at Shaw Park during the first part of June and hosts top teams from all over the state.

Registration

In order to get started, you have to register. We offer several easy methods to register your child. They include:

Online Registration: Fast, easy and secure; Shaw Park has been offering online registration for several years now. It takes about 10 minutes and allows you to use a credit card. Online registration provides immediate registration of your child assuring him a place in the league and notification to the park and league coordinator. During open registration, there is a link to the registration system from our home page. You can always navigate to it through: Registration > On-line Registration.

Mail-In Registration: Download and complete the Registration Form. And mail it along with a check to the address that is located on the form.

Registration at the Park: You can also register at the main concession stand at the park on designated Open Registration dates. You can download the Registration Form and fill out prior to coming to the park or there will be some blank forms at the park.

Post Registration Contact: Shetland players do not participate in a Skills Test. Skills Tests are used in Pinto through Colt leagues to determine the skill level of each player to assist the coaches in the team draft process. Once registered, the League Coordinator will place your child randomly on a team. Following your registration, your son’s team manager will contact you by the Player Contact date listed in the park’s Calendar of Events.

Contact Information

Any questions that you have regarding the Shetland League program at Shaw Park can be directed to the Shetland League Coordinator's by email.

Article written by: Mike Beyers