SAN MARCOS YOUTH BASEBALL MISSION STATEMENT
SMYB's Mission is to provide the youth of our community with instruction and guidance in their development, both mentally and physically, in the game of Baseball while building their character and sportsmanship in a safe, positive, and fun environment.

SAN MARCOS YOUTH BASEBALL GOALS
· To teach and encourage teamwork while learning about the great game of baseball
· To have fun, make friends, and create lasting memories
· To develop skills for those who may be interested in playing at the high school level
· To teach our children to finish what they start, whether it is getting on base or pursuing a dream

“A player who makes a team great is better than a great player.” - John Wooden

ORGANIZATION
San Marcos Youth Baseball (SMYB) is open to boys and girls, ages 5 through 14.

This is a non-profit recreational league with a focus on developing youth baseball players in a fun and safe environment. San Marcos Youth Baseball (SMYB) does not discriminate against any player on the basis of race, creed, religion, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status.

The SMYB Board of Directors governs and administers all league activities. Each Division shall have one Division Director who is responsible for the dissemination of information and enforcement of Board policy. The Division Director will assist managers and coaches with any concerns that might require Board attention. All questions or concerns should first be addressed to the respective Division Director.

Within the league, the following divisions have been established:
Shetland Minors (t-ball): *League Age 3 and 4

Shetland Majors (t-ball): *League Age 5 and 6  

Pinto (Pitching Machine): *League Age 7 and 8  

Mustang (Kid Pitch): *League Age 9 and 10  

Bronco (Kid Pitch): *League Age 11 and 12  

Pony (Kid Pitch): *League Age 13 and 14 

Click here for official Pony Standards

An appropriate number of teams will be formed within each division so as to allow the maximum number of youth players to participate throughout the season. The number of teams in each division is dependent on the number of eligible registered players and available managers.
 
INTERNET SITE
Our website is www.sanmarcosyouthbaseball.com. This site is the primary source of information about our baseball league. Please refer to the website as new information is posted on a regular basis.

OPEN REGISTRATION
San Marcos Youth Baseball Season registration announcements will be displayed to the citizens of San Marcos and contiguous communities through signage, email blasts, flyers sent home through SMUSD schools, and via our website. Players may register for league play during the open registration sessions via our online registration tool.

The registration fee, established by the SMYB Board at the beginning of each season covers the costs of player uniforms, equipment purchases, snack bar fees, field lights, MSP upgrading costs, umpires, team and individual picture packages, insurance, participation trophies for Shetland and Pinto, play-off and championship trophies for Mustang, Bronco and Pony, mailings and other related League expenses.

The registration fees for each season may vary and fees will be increased as needed to cover the costs incurred by SMYB.

The final drop date for a full refund, if an official drop request is submitted, is before uniform hand-outs. If an official drop request is submitted after the uniform hand-outs, then a partial refund will be given to include the cost of the uniform.

Any returned checks will be charged a return check fee. In the event of a returned check it is the responsibility of the party issuing the check to arrange for registration payment to SMYB.

SPONSORSHIP INFORMATION (Spring Season Only)
Every team needs a sponsor. Team sponsorship ensures the success of our non-profit baseball recreation program. It is also a way to allow our local business community to take part in our program. We can all help the youth players in our program have a successful season by becoming or finding a sponsor for a team. Your tax-deductible donation/sponsorship helps defray overall costs. If you have any questions about sponsoring a team please contact the SMYB Sponsorship Director via the SMYB Website: www.sanmarcosyouthbaseball.com.

INSURANCE
In the event of a player injury during SMYB activities the players medical insurance will be the primary coverage used to cover any resultant costs.  Secondary medical insurance is provided through SMYB for all players under a general liability/medical insurance policy with deductibles.

UNIFORMS & EQUIPMENT
All registered and certified youth players will receive an official SMYB uniform (jersey and hat). Players will not be allowed to participate in league games unless they are dressed in their regulation uniform along with socks, baseball pants, and cleats.

FIELDS
SMYBs main playing fields for all games and practices is Mission Sports Park. When necessary, some other fields may include Bradley Park, San Marcos Middle School and San Elijo, as well as other fields located within the San Marcos Unified School District. The list of schools available for practice along with approved practice times will be provided by SMYB after receiving approval from the San Marcos Unified School District. It is recommended that any other practice site besides the ones on the approved list, should be discussed with the appropriate Division Director.

No smoking or alcohol consumption is allowed at any time at any of the fields or parks used for SMYBs Department.

PRACTICES
Practices may not begin until after the conclusion of each division’s draft. Once a manager has received his or her team’s roster, they may immediately schedule practices with their team. Each team should practice at least twice per week before the season, as determined by their manager.

GAMES
FALL SEASON
Fall seasons will begin in September --- usually on the Sunday following Labor Day , with the last game being played on Sunday before Thanksgiving (10 games total). All Fall games are played on Sunday afternoons at Mission Sports Park with first game usually starting at 12:00 PM. Practices begin towards the end of August.

SPRING SEASON
Spring season games will begin mid to late February with regular season games ending around Memorial Day.

Shetland teams will play one game per week on Saturdays only and will play approximately 10 games.

Pinto, Mustang, Bronco and Pony teams will play approximately 14 to 18 games and sometimes may play 2 games per week. Playoffs for the Pinto, Mustang, Bronco and Pony divisions will begin two weeks prior Memorial Day, and end midweek before Memorial Day weekend. *Note that we host a big Memorial Day weekend tournament for Stallion and Travel teams from all around the area, so feel free to come support the league and watch high level competition.

TEAM FORMATIONS
Team formation is done via a draft, where each manager for each division picks his or her own team. Evaluations are usually held about 6 weeks prior to opening day, with the draft happening a few days following the evaluations. The only exception to this is for the Shetland Division (t-ball). The teams in the Shetland Division are put together by the Division Director.

Team size will be determined at the close of registration and is dependent on overall capacity as well as available managers; however, the minimum number of players on a team is 11 and the maximum number of players on a team is 13.

WAITING LIST
All players registering for the league after the completion of team formations will be placed on a waiting list for possible inclusion onto a team as openings become available.

TEAM OPENINGS 
For a player to be officially dropped from a team, the manager must contact the Division Director and the Registration Director who will then contact the player’s parents or guardian to determine or reaffirm the reason(s) for the player leaving the team. No refunds will be granted after the season starts. Open team slots will only be filled from the league’s waiting list. It is the manager’s responsibility to keep their Division Director informed of any drops so that all teams can maintain a full roster and allow maximum participation by community youths.

RECOGNITION AWARDS (Spring Season Only)
Shetland players receive participation trophies. You will be contacted near the end of the season with more information. Pinto, Mustang, Bronco, and Pony division playoff champions and finalist teams will receive medals.