Overview
Offered for kids ages 5-6, Beginner's League is a child's first real exposure to playing baseball. While everybody is aware that it's a brand new experience for the child, what often gets lost, and something the NHAA never forgets, is that it's also a brand new experience for you, the coach and parent.

The goals of our program are to introduce the kids to the fundamentals of baseball, provide an encouraging environment, have a ton of fun, and leave the kids with a positive, memorable experience. 

Your child will participate in a structured program teaching the fundamentals of hitting, throwing, base running, and fielding, as well as through controlled games to promote the development of their skills. Introducing the children to baseball fundamentals is the primary goal of the NHAA Program.

Schedule
-  All practice/game schedules will be finalized once registration is closed, quantity of teams is determined, coaches are selected, and rosters finalized.
-  All practices/games will be held at Ross Elementary Field.
-  Depending on the weather, you can anticipate one practice/game on a weekday and one on a weekend.
-  You can anticipate each practice/game should last approximately 1 hour.    

Expectations
NHAA Believes strongly in keeping things simple when teaching the game of baseball and softball. With that in mind we have developed five goal areas for each of the age groups. As a coach we want to keep these five goal areas in mind every time we plan a practice. They represent the fundamental building blocks for success. The goals at one level need to be accomplished before the goals at the next level can be pursued. 

These are the Five Goals that we hope to and you should expect your child to have achieved at the completion of the Beginner's League Level: 

Learn the Basic Rules - the right direction to run when the ball is hit; runners must touch the bases; how to record outs (catch the ball in the air, throw to first, or tag the runners); running past first base; scoring a run; three outs constitutes an inning 

Throwing Mechanics - turn the body so that the front shoulder points toward the target; keep the elbow above the shoulder; step toward the target with the no throwing foot and release the ball. 

Tracking - follow the ball with the eyes to the glove, whether on the ground or in the air (use softer balls); use two hands to catch and field; try to catch the ball out in front of the body. 

Hitting - how to hold and swing the bat; batting safety (when not to swing bats, wearing batting helmets); hitting off a tee; hitting softly tossed pitches 

Learning Positional Play - if the ball is hit to your buddy, let him or her field it

Overview
Offered for kids ages 7-8, the primary goal of the Instructional League is teaching baseball fundamentals and developing your child's baseball skills. We want this time to be an exciting, rewarding and memorable experience,which will prepare them for baseball at a higher, competitive level. Games will be "controlled" games with a balance between learning the game and a slightly increasing the level of competitiveness. There are special playing rules in place to move the game along, while still making it fun and promoting the development of their skills. At this stage, the kids will begin hitting "coach pitching" in both practice and games.

Schedule
-  All practice/game schedules will be finalized once registration is closed, quantity of teams is determined, coaches are selected, and rosters finalized.
-  All practices/games will be held at Windhurst Field,Berkeley Field and Bartlett Field.
-  Depending on the weather, you can anticipate one practice/game on a weekday and one on a weekend.You can anticipate each practice/game should last approximately 1-1/2 hours. 

New Experiences at this Level
- Coach Pitching during practices and games
- Summer Tournament Play (developmental)

Expectations
The NHAA believes strongly in keeping things simple when teaching the game of baseball and softball. With that in mind we have developed five goal areas for each of the age groups. As a coach we want to keep these five goal areas in mind every time we plan a practice. They represent the fundamental building blocks for success. The goals at one level need to be accomplished before the goals at the next level can be pursued. 

These are the Five Goals that we believe and you should expect your child to have achieved at the completion of the Instructional League Level: 

-  Learn the Basic Rules - force outs; tagging up; base running (when you don't have to run; not running into or past teammates on the base paths); balls and strikes. 
-  Throwing Mechanics - introduce the four-seam grip; point the front shoulder, step, and throw; introduce the concept of generating momentum toward the target and following the throw. 
- Catching and fielding- thrown and hit balls; fingers up versus fingers down; see the glove and the ball; use two hands; forehands and backhands; introduce the underhand flip; first-base fundamentals; crossover and drop steps. 
- Hitting - choosing the right bat; proper grip; hitting pitched balls; introduce drill work (tee work, soft toss, short toss) 
- Learning Positional Play - learn the positions and the areas each player should cover; cover the base when the ball is not hit to you; basics of cutoffs and relays.

Overview
Offered for kids ages 9-10, the primary goal of the Minor League is to transition from a "coach-controlled" environment to one that resembles an actual competitive game, while still maintaining the major goal of learning, developing, and having FUN. This is probably the biggest transition your child will make throughout their baseball career because it introduces them to seeing actual live pitching from other kids as well as throwing pitches themselves.  It is also a very big transition for YOU the parent because, while your child may have been a great hitter throughout Beginners and Instructional, they may struggle a bit adapting to other kids throwing the ball. Our advice is to just be patient, and for that brief moment they're in the batter's box or on the pitchers mount ... take your parent hat off and just be a fan.

Schedule
-  All practice/game schedules will be finalized once registration is closed, quantity of teams is determined, coaches are selected, and rosters finalized.
-  All practices/games will be held at Berkeley Field, and some at Bartlett Field.
-  Depending on the weather, you can anticipate one practice/game on a weekday and one on a weekend.
- You can anticipate each practice/game should last approximately 2 hours (or 6-innings)

New Experiences at this Level
- Kid Pitching during games
- Umpired 6-inning games
- Base stealing (after the pitch crosses the plate)
- Pre-season Player Evaluations
- Teams selection via a Coaches Draft
- Post-season Playoffs and Championship
- All-Star Game
- Summer Tournament Play

Expectations
The NHAA believes strongly in keeping things simple when teaching the game of baseball and softball. With that in mind we have developed five goal areas for each of the age groups. As a coach we want to keep these five goal areas in mind every time we plan a practice. They represent the fundamental building blocks for success. The goals at one level need to be accomplished before the goals at the next level can be pursued. 

These are the Five Goals that we believe and you should expect your child to have achieved at the completion of the Minor League Level: 

- Learn the Basic Rules - introduction to and explanation of the infield fly rule
- Base running - stealing, extra-base hits
- Pitching and Throwing Mechanics - four-seam grip, shuffle, throw, follow, pitcher covering first.
- Hitting - repetitions; drill work (tee work, soft toss, short toss, stick-ball, lob toss, on-arm drill); bunting
- Learning Team Fundamentals - cutoffs and relays; basic defenses; basic first-and-third situations, underhand flip, infield/outfield communication and priorities.

Overview
Offered for kids ages 11-12. 

Schedule
-  All practice/game schedules will be finalized once registration is closed, quantity of teams is determined, coaches are selected, and rosters finalized.
-  All practices/games will be held at Bartlett Field.
-  Depending on the weather, you can anticipate one practice/game on a weekday and one on a weekend.
- You can anticipate each practice/game should last approximately 2 hours (or 6-innings)

New Experiences at this Level
- Allow a runner to take a lead off a base at any time
- Allow a runner to steal a base at any time
- Allow a pitcher to throw directly to a base in an attempt to "pick off" the leading runner
- Allow the kids .. to do what they've been asking the coach to do since Tee Ball!

Expectations
The NHAA believes strongly in keeping things simple when teaching the game of baseball and softball. With that in mind we have developed five goal areas for each of the age groups. As a coach we want to keep these five goal areas in mind every time we plan a practice. They represent the fundamental building blocks for success. The goals at one level need to be accomplished before the goals at the next level can be pursued. 

These are the Five Goals that we believe and you should expect your child to have achieved at the completion of the Bronco League Level: 

- Learning the Basic Rules - infield fly rule; balks.
- Base running - leads; steals; extra-base hits.Pitching and Throwing Mechanics - wind-up versus stretch; four-seam grip; shuffle, throw, follow' pitcher covering first
- Hitting - repetitions; drill work (tee work, soft toss, short toss, stick-ball, lob toss, one-arm drill); bunting.
- Learning Team Fundamentals - cutoffs and relays; basic bunt defenses; basic first-and-third situations; underhand flip and double plays; defending the steal; infield and outfield communication and priorities.

Overview
"Pony League Baseball is called the "Transition League" because it is the next big transition a baseball player makes in his life. North Hills Pony is offered for kids ages 13-14, and the primary goal is to help the kids transition to a "larger" game while not completely overwhelming them. Pony League is specifically designed for the player in those very formative early teen years. The younger Pony players simply are not ready to play on a full-size baseball diamond. At the same time, they have outgrown the dimensions of "kid's baseball" (Little League) diamonds. 

This is where we feel the players within the NHAA have the advantage because, at the 11-12 y.o. Bronco League level, they have a head start over their competition. They've started the "transition" early, and are ready to jump right into a bigger, faster game.

Pony League was founded for this very apparent reason. After becoming skillful players in the younger leagues, players in their early teens found themselves unable to compete, to play the game of baseball as it was intended to be played, on the regulation size diamond.

With bases set at 80-feet apart and pitchers throwing from 54-feet away, NHAA Pony Leaguers play one of the most fascinating games in all of youth baseball. Well beyond the beginners stage, they have mastered all but the finest points of technique and strategy and can play the game with a skill comparable to that of older players. 

The NHAA Pony Programs are as follows:

Pony Varsity Teams: 
We typically field (1) 13 y.o. and (1) 14 y.o. Pony Varsity team in the Quad-County North League. The QCN is a competitive baseball league which includes teams from all other neighboring associations, including Cranberry, Ingomar, Pine Richland, Butler, Shaler, Kiski, North Allegheny, and others. We are committed to fielding as many Pony Varsity teams as player and coaching interest will allow.

Pony Junior Varsity Teams: Our Pony Junior Varsity Teams also participate in the Quad-County North League, but at a level that is geared towards the player who is looking to play baseball in more of a "recreational" manner. We are committed to fielding as many Pony J/V teams as player and coaching interest will allowFor most of the kids on these teams, this will be their first experience playing against teams from other associations. Therefore, we will put a lot of emphasis on some of the other "unwritten" fundamentals of the game including; sportsmanship, respect for the opposing team, respect for the game, and upholding the North Hills reputation.

Expectations
The NHAA believes strongly in keeping things simple when teaching the game of baseball and softball. With that in mind we have developed five goal areas for each of the age groups. As a coach we want to keep these five goal areas in mind every time we plan a practice. They represent the fundamental building blocks for success. The goals at one level need to be accomplished before the goals at the next level can be pursued. 

These are the Five Goals that we believe and you should expect your child to have achieved at the completion of the Pony League Level: 

- Throwing Mechanics and Pitching - emphasis on generating momentum toward the target and following the throw (larger field); breaking balls; change-ups; pitching mechanics and using the body effectively (longer distance); pickoff mechanics; flatwork (drills); introduction to long toss.
- Hitting - introduce situational hitting (inside-out swing, hitting behind runners, hit and run, productive outs); sacrifice bunting versus bunting for a hit; understanding the count. 
- Base running - first-and-third situations; steal breaks; delayed steals; reading situations and reacting to them.
- Fielding - generating momentum back toward the target on throws when necessary; crossover and drop steps; backhands and when to use them; double-play depth; pitcher covering first; infield communication. 
- Team Fundamentals - pickoff plays; full bunt defenses; full first-and-third defenses; pop-up and fly ball priorities; double pays and underhand flips.

We also expect the kids at this level to finally know the answer to the question: 

WHO ARE WE?

Overview
Much like the older Palomino League enables the player who may have an eye towards playing baseball past his high school years, the Colt League enables players to fine tune their skills before advancing onto the next level of competition. North Hills Colt is offered for kids ages 15-16, and the primary goal of our Colt League is to continue teaching the fundamentals of baseball as the boys transition from teens into young adults. The Colt League is for those who want to continue their baseball playing days for recreational purposes or to continue to develop their skills for the North Hills Junior Varsity Team in preparation for playing at the Varsity Level.

The NHAA Colt Programs are as follows:
- Colt Varsity Teams: Our desire is to always field (1) 15 y.o. and (1) 16 y.o. Varsity Team in the Quad-County North League. The QCN is a competitive baseball league which includes teams from all other neighboring associations, including Cranberry, Ingomar, Pine Richland, Butler, Shaler, Kiski, North Allegheny, and others. We are committed to fielding as many Colt Varsity teams as player and coaching interest will allow.
- The amount and placement of teams are determined once registrations are closed in mid-to-late March.
- Home games for all Colt teams will be at either Guadagnino Field (NH High School) or Herb Field (Ross Twp. Community Center)
- Depending on the weather, you can anticipate 2-3 practices or games per week.
- We understand the increased schedule conflicts at this level due to work, other sports, or other interests and the NHAA is committed to accommodating those so that your son can still play the game.
- Colt Junior Varsity Teams: Our Colt Junior Varsity Teams also participate in the Quad-County North League, but in a Division that is geared towards the player who is looking to play baseball in more of a "recreational" manner. We are committed to fielding as many Colt J/V teams as player and coaching interest will allow.



Expectations
The NHAA believes strongly in keeping things simple when teaching the game of baseball and softball. With that in mind we have developed five goal areas for each of the age groups. As a coach we want to keep these five goal areas in mind every time we plan a practice. They represent the fundamental building blocks for success. The goals at one level need to be accomplished before the goals at the next level can be pursued. 

These are the Five Goals that we believe and you should expect your child to have achieved at the completion of the Colt League Level: 

- Throwing Mechanics and Pitching - long toss; flatwork (drills); continue mastering breaking and off-speed pitches; throwing for accuracy; generating momentum toward the target and following the throw; pickoff mechanics
- Hitting - mental aspects (hitter's count versus pitcher's count); two-strike hitting; aggressive versus defensive swings; situational hitting; productive outs; advanced game situations and defenses
- Base running - one-way leads; going on the first move; reacting to batted balls; tag-up situations; third-base rules; no-out; one-out; and two-out rules
- Fielding - understanding and adapting to playing conditions (grass versus dirt, sun, bad fields); Fence Drill (outfield); crossover and drop steps; do-or-die plays at the plate; preventing runners from taking extra bases; communicating between pitches.
- Learning Team Fundamentals - cutoffs and relays (introduce the trailer concept); advanced pickoff plays (daylight play; plays put on by fielders) and when to use them; double plays; advanced game situations and defenses.

Who are we?
WE ARE ... NORTH HILLS