Juniors baseball has predominantly been a summer sport, and graduating juniors who don’t play grade baseball have few pathways to keep enjoying the sport into their late teens.

The Pacific Coast Baseball League is addressing these issues with their new Colts Grade – a bridging competition between juniors and seniors baseball with the following rules:

The age brackets for the Colts concept is from 15 to 17 years of age. Exemptions may be accommodated for players up to 18 years of age.

Key objectives are:

1) Develop further knowledge of the game in both skill and game;

2) Foster player performance responsibility – owning up to the upward learning curve;

3) Manage player individuality, motivate players to develop skills and follow Coaches’ directions.

Team grading criteria will accommodate the following:

4) Accommodate junior players into the same Colts as a unique grade;

5) Play with participation of senior experienced players who undertake both a mentoring and tutoring role;

6) The Colts will be coached by an accredited Level 1 Coach, experienced with senior teams, preferable gained at high grade senior team;

In order to achieve the objective, the PCBL Competition Rules would be modified with rules specifically tailored to the Colts Grade, these are:

7) Colts are allowed to have 2 to 4 senior players;

8) All senior players in attendance will play full or part games;

9) No more than 2 senior players on the field at any one time, senior players may play any position except Pitcher;

10) Senior players will only play in one each infield and outfield, where one is playing this may be the catcher;

11) All 2 – 4 senior players attending a game are allowed to be in the Batting Line Up.

12) Senior players are allowed to be retired from the game with no Automatic Batter out, however this will only apply where a team has more than 9 batters in the batting Line-Up;

13) Pitcher will be limited to 3 completed or part of an inning. Pitchers once removed may remain in the game;

14) Once a pitcher is removed from the mound, having completed or not the 3 innings he may not return to the mound.

The PCBL Winter baseball season starts in mid-April. For more information about being part of a Colts Grade team, contact Shaun Joffee, Stealers Seniors Registrar or Jane Heap, Stealers VP Juniors.