House League
Overview
The House League provides fun, developmental, and healthy competitive opportunities to learn and play baseball for all Orinda youth ages 6-14.
Whether your child has never played baseball before or has developed a sustained passion and dedication to playing America's Pastime, the House League provides players of all skill levels the opportunity to enjoy learning and playing baseball in their community.
Age Divisions
House leagues are divided up into divisions based on age, with the birthday cutoff date being April 29th of that year, with exceptions granted for development purposes at the discretion of the respective league commissioner. Practically, this means that each division is centered on two grade levels, with kids in adjacent grades aligning based on their birthday, with some flexibility to select which division is more appropriate for their development or to play with their grade-cohort.
Pinto - 8U
Who: Kids in grades 1-2 + eligible 3rd graders
Goal: Building confidence, game awareness, and a love for being on the diamond.
The Approach: This is a coach-pitch league where players get their first taste of baseball. Practices focus on the basics of throwing, fielding, and hitting, while developing an understanding the modified coach-pitch game. The game is high-energy and full of hits, so players are excited to show up to the field every week.
Mustang - 10U
Who: Kids in grades 3-4 + eligible 5th graders
Goal: Introduce kid-pitch, with catchers, stealing, and a whole new dimension of the game they love, while continuing to refine fundamentals
The Approach: We continue to emphasize fun and giving opportunities to all players that are ready to step onto the mound or get behind the dish. Long-term development and appropriate arm care are key considerations.
Bronco - 12U
Who: Kids in grades 5-6 + eligible 7th graders
Goal: Play "real" baseball
The Approach: The diamond scales up as this intermediate phase serves as a bridge for quickly growing kids. The training wheels come off and players step into their athletic abilities and up their game.
Pony - 14U
Who: Kids in grades 6-7 + eligible 8th graders
Goal: Continue to grow baseball skills and enjoy an even more advanced game
The Approach: This division is designed for players who love baseball, want to stay on the diamond with their buddies, and enjoy competitive weekend games
Seasons
Spring League
Our primary, full-scale competitive baseball season.
- Mid-January: Player Evaluations. This is not a tryout—every registered player is placed on a team. We use these evaluations strictly to draft balanced rosters so that every game is fun and competitive.
- February: Practices Begin. Teams practice twice a week, weather permitting.
- March: Opening Day & Regular Season begins. Teams continue to practice twice a week and play one game a week on weekends.
- May: Playoffs. The schedule shifts. Practices end for the season, and playoff games are played on weekdays.
- Mid-May: The season concludes.
A Note on Practice Schedules: We cannot guarantee specific practice days or times in advance. However, you can submit known schedule conflicts during evaluations. We use this information to place your player on a team with a practice schedule that works for your family.
Fall Ball
A lightweight developmental season emphasizing learning new skills. The purpose is to keep baseball skills and development ongoing, in preparation for spring and to ensure your player doesn't get too rusty!
It runs from September to October.
- At the Pinto level, expect one practice per week that builds up to an end-of-season scrimmage.
- For Mustang and higher levels, expect 1 practice per week and 1 game per weekend.
Expectations
Does my player need prior experience?
House offers opportunities to baseball players of all ages and abilities, from those with extensive experience to players learning and playing the game for the first time.
Do I need to attend all practices and games?
House expectations are similar to that of any recreational youth sports league.
We hope and expect a player prioritizes a commitment to their team during the baseball season regarding practice and game attendance, as that will maximize your child's fun and development while also helping their team be the best they can be. We also recognize Orinda youth have many commitments, so the House league is accommodating to periodic scheduling conflicts. Fall Ball is developmental and is even more understanding of conflicts.