North Hills Athletic Association

Beginners League/T-Ball - Girls and Boys ages 5 and 6
Beginners League starts in mid April and runs for ten weeks; four weeks for practice and six for games.  Games are played at Rosecliff Field #1, the smaller of the two fields.  Games last two innings; every player will bat in each inning.  Coaches pitch a "restricted injury factor ball"; a tee is provided if a player has trouble with a pitched ball.  By mid season most players can hit the pitched balls.  This league teaches the enjoyment of team play; no scores are kept.

Instructional League - Boys ages 7 and 8
Instructional League begins in early April and runs until the end of June.  It is at this age that players need to develop a sense of the game and the functions of the players.  A hard ball is used and players, as well as parents, need to be aware of the importance of paying attention on the field AND on the bench.  The game consists of six innings; each player will receive only seven pitches each at bat by a manager or coach -- even if some of the throws aren’t perfect!  This rule encourages players to concentrate on the ball and allows for more rapid player development.  At the end of the regular season, 8 year olds will have the option of participating in a four week season extension to familiarize players with next year's Minor League rules.  Player participation is encouraged.
 

Minor League - Boys ages 9 and 10
Minor League begins with a skills evaluation in February. This is held at Ross Elementary School. The purpose of skills evaluation is to give the managers a look at each child and the skills they possess. Players will hit, run, catch and throw inside the gym. They will need their gloves. We provide the bats. A player may bring their own bat if they desire to do so. A draft of the players will occur one week after skills evaluation. Managers will draw numbers to see which manager selects first to last. Every effort is made to keep parity between the teams. Minor League games will be 6 innings long. Players pitch against each other and league umpires call all the games. A total of between 15 to 20 games are played depending on the number of teams. A play-off format concludes the season and every team is included in the playoffs. Scores and standings are kept and there is strict enforcement of pitching rules. The season ends after the playoffs in late June. Parents are encouraged to work with their children at home as much as possible because at this age, the children develop most of their baseball skills.

Bronco League- Boys ages 11 and 12
New to NHAA in 2008 are Bronco Rules for boys ages 11-12. With longer base paths and a longer distance between home plate and the pitchers mound, pithers will be able to pitch from the stretch and runners will be able to take leads ... just like the pros! Bronco League begins with a skills evaluation in February. This is held at Ross Elementary gym. The managers of the Bronco League teams watch each child and evaluate their hitting, throwing and fielding. A week after skills are held, a draft of all players takes place. The President and Vice-President preside over the draft to ensure parity. The draft begins with a straw vote to see which manager drafts first. The season begins in April and runs to the end of June concluding with the playoffs. Each team is entered into the playoffs and all teams regardless of place of finish, has an equal chance to win the championship. Scores and standings are kept as well as strict enforcement of the pitching rules. Parents are encouraged to work on hitting and fielding skills with their children because it is at the little league level, when most children lose interest in baseball. This loss of interest is usually due to a lack of confidence and not a dislike of the game. It is not uncommon to have as many as half the Little League players quit playing when it comes time to move to Pony League. Practice pays huge dividends!

Pony League - Boys ages 13 and 14      

 Colt League - Boys ages 15 and 16
Pony and Colt Leagues begin with a spring practice in March for players who do not play junior and high school baseball. These spring practices are held by managers and coaches to ready players for the regular season. In the past, players not playing school baseball would have to wait for the school season to end before they would practice. Now players can take batting and fielding practice under the supervision of coaches and be in similar playing condition as the school players. Pony and Colt Leagues are run by their respective federations. N.H.A.A. enters teams into the various federations leagues and the federations schedule games as well as set the rules and policies of each league. The level of play is elevated from Little League and the competition is intense.

Palomino League - Boys ages 17 and 18
This league is the real deal. Most of the players in this league are the high school players and the players going on to college baseball. The competition is from the best the area has to offer and the games are a must for younger players to see. These players strive for excellence and it is at this level that all the years of dedication and practice come to fruition.