NYO BASEBALL
For over 70 years, NYO baseball has been a staple in the North Atlanta community. America’s pastime is our pastime. Located in the heart of Chastain Park, Northside Youth Organization’s facilities are second to none featuring twelve fields, seventeen batting cages, and six pavilions located on our main campus and three additional game fields in the neighborhood. Today, our program serves nearly 1,500 players from ages four to fourteen separated into twelve leagues.
In conjunction with NYO’s mission, our baseball program emphasizes character development, sportsmanship, healthy competition, and positive coaching.
SMALL BALL / AGE 4
For players league age 4 (and, if approved, 5 year olds not prepared to enter the Shetland league). This is an instructional league designed to introduce our newest players and coaches into the NYO baseball program. Players hit off a tee. Emphasis is on fun and instruction. The first part of the season is composed of a series of clinics and practices designed to teach the most basic skills of baseball. During the second half of the spring, a six to seven game season will be played on weekends with weekday practices. We will not keep scores or standings in this league and there will be no playoffs. There will not be more than two events per week.
Teams are organized primarily amongst neighborhoods so as to encourage community involvement. All events will be at one of the NYO Tee Ball fields or W.T. Jackson Elementary. Players will be assured spots in the Shetland League during the following fall and spring seasons.
SHETLAND BLUE / AGE 5
Two Shetland leagues split with each league ranging from 16 to 20 teams each composed of 5 and 6 year-olds. All players hit off of a coach – after three pitches (if unsuccessful), players then have the opportunity to hit off a tee. Eleven players are in the field including five outfielders, and there are no more than 14 players per team. We use a continuous batting order so all players bat. All games are held on the cozy Small Ball Field and the adjacent newer field.
Emphasis is on player development, teaching of basic skills and encouragement of the love of the game. In order to encourage player development and teach players how to both win and lose gracefully, we keep score and have standings with a condensed playoff at the end of the season. Teams are organized primarily amongst neighborhoods so as to encourage community involvement. There are three events per week and a 12-13 game season.
SHETLAND RED / AGE 6
Two Shetland leagues split with each league ranging from 16 to 20 teams each composed 5 and 6 year-olds. All players hit off of a coach – after three pitches (if unsuccessful), players then have the opportunity to hit
off a tee. Eleven players are in the field including five outfielders. No more than 14 players per team. We use a continuous batting order so all players bat. All games are held on the cozy Small Ball Field and the adjacent newer field.
Emphasis is on player development, teaching of basic skills and encouragement of the love of the game. In order to encourage player development and teach players how to both win and lose gracefully, we keep score and have standings with a condensed playoff at the end of the season.
ROOKIE / AGE 7
Coaches will pitch to all players from a distance of 33 feet. 10 players are in the field including four outfielders. There are no more than 13 players per team. We use a continuous batting order. Players are introduced to the containment of runners rule. “Real” umpires are used from our alumni teen program. All games are played on the Barshay East field (closest to the Field of Dreams) with its own full backstop and fencing, dugouts and bleachers. Emphasis continues to be the same as Tee Ball with an increase in teaching the rules of the game and the importance of the team concept in sports. There are three events per week with a 13-game season plus playoffs where all teams qualify.
A LEAGUE / AGE 8
Second year coach pitch with the pitching plate at 38 feet. Ten players are in the field including four outfielders. There are no more than 13 players per team. We use a continuous batting order. All games played on the Barshay West field (closest to the parking lot) with its own full backstop, dugouts and bleachers. Continuation of the containment rule with use of alumni teen umpires. This is our last transition before kid pitch begins. There are three events per week with a 13 -game season plus playoffs where all teams qualify.
AA LEAGUE / AGE 9
This is the next big step as this is the first year of kid pitch. Nine players are in the field and there are no more than 12 players per team. We use a continuous batting order. Games are played on the NYO Field of Dreams, St. John UMC field, and Sarah Smith ES field. All fields have grass infields (except Sarah Smith) and permanent bleachers and dugouts. Emphasis is on the development of pitching skills and first opportunities for specialization of players at particular positions. There are four events per week with a 13 to 14 game season plus playoffs where all teams qualify.
INTERNATIONAL / AGES 10 & 11
Nine players are in the field and there are no more than 12 players per team. We use a continuous batting order. Games are played on the NYO Field of Dreams and St. John UMC field. All fields have grass infields and permanent bleachers and dugouts. Emphasis is on the continued development of pitching skills and wonderful opportunities for those players who are looking to more fully develop their skills after AA by being provided the opportunity to pitch and play more quality innings throughout the season. There are four events per week with a 13 to 14 game season and playoffs where all teams qualify.
MAJORS
Nine players are in the field and there are no more than 12 players per team. Typically, two to three players per team are league age 10, providing an opportunity for those players a little more advanced to have a more challenging experience. This is the first age where we split up an age group. We use a continuous batting order. Games are played on Wilkins Field, NYO Field of Dreams and St. John UMC field. All fields have grass infields and permanent bleachers and dugouts. Lead-offs and stealing are introduced as players begin to play the “real” game. There are four to five events per week with a 15 to 16 game season plus double-elimination playoffs where all teams qualify.
BRONCO LEAGUE
Nine players are in the field and there are no more than 12 players per team. Typically, three to four players per team are league age 11, providing an opportunity for those players to have a more challenging experience. We use a nine player batting order with an EH (extra hitter). Games are played on the NYO Wilkins Bronco Field, a state of the art facility second to none in the metro area. Generally, we only allow our best and most experienced coaches to participate at this level; many of the coaches have played in college and beyondand most of the coaches in this league are volunteers without children in this league. Our most challenging and competitive experience with the “real” game of baseball being taught (lead-offs, balks, steals, hit and run, holding runners on base, big barrel bats etc.). There are four events per week with a 20 game season and double-elimination playoffs where all teams qualify.
CHASTAIN LEAGUE / AGES 13 & 14
The NYO Chastain League has been created to provide an opportunity for our baseball community to stay in our program through the age of 17. The league will have two levels, Local and Regional (ATL Baseball).
The Local League will be offered for ages 13 &14 and act as a bridge between 12U recreational leagues and the travel baseball experience. The Local League will be offered in the fall and spring and focus on player development. Teams will play games locally at NYO facilities and will be coached by volunteer coaches. The Local League will also offer a training component that will supplement the league experience.
The Regional level (ATL Baseball) will be NYO’s version of travel baseball. These teams will be available to ages 13-17. The Regional League will be a year round commitment with training, practices and games/tournaments in the fall, spring and summer. Offseason training in the winter will also be available. Teams will be formed through a tryout process and they will be coached by professional coaches. Like the Local level, the Regional League will focus on player development.
ATL LIGHTNING BASEBALL / AGES 13-17
ATL baseball is a travel baseball program (ages 13-17) committed to providing an environment of baseball excellence. The program focuses on the development in all aspects of the game. Our goals are to create players who love, appreciate and are committed to the game of baseball:
- Developing a program where our youth can learn life lessons and athletic skills through sports by emphasizing character building, sportsmanship, teamwork, and creating a healthy competitive environment.
- Giving each player and family the best experience possible by offering elite coaching, developmental tools and helping each player reach their true potential.
- Creating teams that compete at the highest level, but never sacrifice the development of the players.
- Helping kids prepare athletically, academically and socially for high school and college baseball.
