New to Shetland? Looking for Information to help your little slugger? You're in the right place!
Shetland (T-Ball) is the very start of baseball for most kids in our association. Kids from ages 5-6 are often getting their first taste of organized baseball, and in some cases, organized sports in general. This is an absolutely crucial time in the development of young baseball players, coaches and parents alike. If kids have a bad experience in T-ball, then the chances of them wanting to play in the higher leagues are minimal. Working as a team, coaches and parents have an obligation to do everything possible to make practices and games fun, safe, learning experiences for our kids. Coaches at this level must spend the majority of time working on the fundamentals of throwing, catching, fielding, hitting and game situations. Winning DOES NOT MATTER at this age group. We do not keep score for a reason. The purpose of the Shetland league is to teach players the minimum skills necessary to advance to Pinto. Take a look at the "Shetland Handbook" by clicking the Rules button below:
Now that you understand our mission; how can you help us execute?
- You can be your child's biggest fan. Just show up, sit back and enjoy watching your son or daughter learn the great game of baseball. Cheer for them, their teammates and their opponents. Help us teach them the value of hard work and good sportsmanship. If this is all you do - then it is more than enough.
- Volunteer to be a Team Manager, Coach, Team Mom, helper, etc. There are plenty of needs and opportunities to assist at this age group. You don't need to be an expert - just be willing to help out and get your Act 33/34 clearances (without them, you can't be anywhere near the field or dugouts).
- Do your homework! We will do our best to teach your child the fundamentals of the game, but we will never be able to spend the kind of time with them that it takes to refine the skills of throwing and catching. You don't have to be a professional athlete to play catch with your son or daughter; you don't even need a glove or a baseball.. use a tennis ball or whatever else you have around. Roll them grounders, throw them pop-ups, make it easy at first so they have success, then gradually make it more challenging as they progress.
- Be positive at all times. If your child makes mistakes (and they will), don't drag them down.. pick them up! They will play in dirt & pick grass in the outfield - expect it - but don't worry about it. Eventually, if they stick with it, they will be fielding the ball and making outs.
- Games are three innings and are scheduled for 1 and a half hours, including 30 minute pre-game practice time. There are no separate practices in Shetland after the first week.
If you have additional questions about the league, the expectations, the requirements, etc. Please contact us. If you need help with how to work on fundamental skills; please check out the videos and resources on this page. These are the very basic fundamentals geared towards the Shetland aged player. There are more advanced instructional videos throughout the site as well, but the content here is aimed specifically at this age group.
Does your player need equipment for the season?? PTBA provides Hats, Shirts and Socks for Shetland players. You are responsible for Pants (color determined by your coach), Baseball Cleats (no metal, only plastic at this age), Glove, Official Tee Ball Bat, Batting Helmet, etc.