FAQs

Here are answers to many of the questions we are asked most often. If your question is not answered here or elsewhere on our site please contact the appropriate member of our Board of Directors.


WHAT IS THE KIRKLAND BASEBALL COMMISSION (KBC), AND WHO RUNS IT?

KBC is a non-profit organization which operates under the registered name of Kirkland Pony Baseball.  We offer recreational baseball for ages 13-18 in Kirkland and Redmond. Our goals are simple: to provide a quality, competitive program at affordable prices, and to make sure that any teen who wants to play baseball has that opportunity.

KBC is run by a Board of Directors elected by its members. Parents of any registered players are defined as members.

IS KBC/KIRKLAND PONY ASSOCIATED WITH LITTLE LEAGUE?

No. We are affiliated with PONY Baseball Inc., a national organization with hundreds of affiliated leagues across the U.S. PONY is an acronym for Protect Our Nation’s Youth.

While PONY Baseball offers programs for all ages, in Kirkland younger players are served by our local Little Leagues (Kirkland American and Kirkland National).

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS OR DIVISIONS WITHIN KBC?

Pony (league age 13-14): Pony serves as a transition from the small fields of Little League and a full-size diamond. Basepaths are 80 feet, and the pitching distance is 54 feet; a regulation field has 90-foot basepaths and the pitching distance is 60 feet, 6 inches. Games are scheduled for 7 innings and are played against other Kirikland Pony teams as well as teams from surrounding cities.

Colt (league age 15-16): Players move to a regulation diamond. Games are scheduled for 7 innings. Games are played against other KBC teams as well as teams from surrounding cities.

Palomino (league age 17-18): Played on regulation diamond. The Palomino season doesn’t start until the high school season ends and extends further into the summer.

ARE THERE SPECIAL RULES?

Pony Baseball follows the Official Baseball Rules (OBR), with a few exceptions (such as the smaller diamond in the Pony division). Additionally, KBC has some local rules, which are posted here.

WHO UMPIRES THE GAMES? WHAT IF I HAVE A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE UMPIRING?

Kirkland Pony uses paid, experienced umpires from local umpire associations. Games played against teams from other programs employ umpires of their choosing. As with any sport, you will not always agree with officiating decisions, but we insist that coaches, parents and players treat the umpires with the proper respect.

WHAT IS THE GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARY?

Our boundary, as defined by Pony Baseball Inc., is the Lake Washington School District. Our players primarily live in Kirkland or in the neighboring sections of Redmond.

HOW DO I DETERMINE MY CHILD’S LEAGUE AGE?

League age is the player’s age on August 31st of the playing season. For more information, please see the article posted on our home page regarding league age.  It contains a league age chart which is updated each year by Pony.org.

HOW DO I REGISTER?

You can register online from the registration page on this website.

WHY ARE THERE TRYOUTS? I THOUGHT THIS WAS A RECREATIONAL LEAGUE.

A better name for tryouts would be evaluations. We want to form teams that are as evenly matched as possible, and tryouts help us do that. Additionally, tryouts give players a chance to display their skills as pitchers and catchers, which are key positions when managers are drafting teams.

Tryouts are also used to select players for the Pony Olympic level, where roster spots are limited.

WHEN DO PRACTICES AND GAMES BEGIN?

For Pony and Colt practices begin around March 1, and regular season games begin in mid-March. The season ends in mid-June; all-star teams continue into the summer. The Palomino season starts after the high school spring sports season.

WHERE ARE GAMES PLAYED? IS THERE A LOT OF TRAVEL INVOLVED?

Our home field is beautiful Lee Johnson Field at Peter Kirk Park in downtown Kirkland. We are fortunate to have such a wonderful facility, and are the envy of many other cities. Additionally, we play home games at Juanita High School, Lake Washington High School and Kirkland Junior High.

Kirkland Pony teams play well over half their games right here in Kirkland. The out-of-town programs we compete against are all nearby: Bellevue, Bothell, Issaquah, Mountlake Terrace, etc. The furthest away is typically Seattle, though there could be an occasional longer trip. We see this as an important advantage we offer: players can play organized, competitive baseball without it becoming a full-time commitment.

HOW MANY GAMES ARE PLAYED OVERALL, AND HOW MANY PER WEEK?

We aim to provide each team approximately 25 regular-season games. Typically we schedule more than that, knowing that games will be rained out. Teams will average two games a week, but that will of course vary. The scheduling process is extremely complicated, requiring coordination of fields availability as well as coordinating with the other Pony programs with which we interlock.

Additionally, all our teams participate in our annual year-end tournament to determine the City Championships. There are also opportunities for teams to enter local tournaments on the Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends.

WHAT HAPPENS IN CASE OF RAIN? ARE RAINED-OUT GAMES MADE UP?

This is the Northwest; games will be rained out. The City of Kirkland maintains Lee Johnson Field and determines if it is playable; that information is recorded on its the field hotline (425-587-3345 — the number in the right column of all pages on this site). For games at other fields decisions are made by the team managers, and notification is typically made by phone and/or e-mail, as appropriate.

Many rained-out games are made up, while others are not. Again, field and team availability are key factors.

CAN MY CHILD PLAY FOR A KBC TEAM AND STILL PLAY FOR HIS SCHOOL TEAM?

Absolutely. Many of our players also play spring sports, not just baseball but even soccer or track. It is important to communicate any conflicts with your team’s manager so he can plan accordingly.

DO TEAMS PRACTICE AND PLAY ON SUNDAYS?

To make use of limited field availability games are played on Sundays. Practices are also possible on Sundays; this is up to your team’s manager.

WHAT IS THE COST TO PLAY, AND HOW IS THE LEAGUE FUNDED?

Registration fees are determined each year by the Board of Directors, and are detailed on our registration page. In addition to registration fees our major source of revenue is the concession stand at Peter Kirk Park. For that reason we ask that families patronize the stand as frequently as possible. It is because of the success of the concession stand that we can keep our fees low and not require the fundraising activities (such as candy sales) that many other leagues do.

We also rely on the generosity of our team sponsors. Please support them whenever possible, and let them know how much you appreciate their support of the youth of our city.

ARE THERE REQUIREMENTS REGARDING PLAYING TIME?

Yes. All players must play a minimum of two innings in the field and have one at-bat per regulation game. If a game is shortened due to weather or darkness and the minimum requirements cannot be met, that player must be assured of reaching those requirements in the next game. If you have specific questions about playing time and your child’s coach’s philosophy, please speak with your team’s manager.


WHOM DO I SPEAK WITH IF I HAVE PROBLEMS OR CONCERNS?

We ask that you first speak with your team’s manager. It is best to call and arrange to talk, rather than do it at a practice or game. If the issue cannot not be resolved you should then speak with the player agent or the director for your division. Their contact information is on our Board of Directors page.

I WOULD LIKE TO HELP. DO YOU NEED VOLUNTEERS?

YES! Kirkland Pony Baseball is made up of volunteers who work to provide positive youth sports experiences for our community of kids. If you are interested in coaching, please contact the division director of the division in which you would like to coach. But there are plenty of other opportunities to volunteer, such as working the concession stand, organizing tournaments or serving on the Board of Directors. You can also help your team’s manager by assisting at practices, preparing the field or helping with administrative duties. Offer your services at your pre-season team meeting; your coaches will greatly appreciate it.

The Board of Directors typically meets on the third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Downtown Kirkland Library. Any interested members are encouraged and invited to attend.

HOW CAN I CONTACT SOMEONE AT KIRKLAND PONY BASEBALL?

We do not have an office or paid staff. The best method of communication is e-mail; just follow the link for the appropriate board member from our Board of Directors page. Our mailing address is 9805 NE 116th St., PMB #7104, Kirkland, WA 98034.

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Kirkland Pony

9805 NE 116th St PMB #7104 
Kirkland, Washington 98034

Email Us: [email protected]
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