NKB
Northern Kentucky Baseball
NKB was created with "Kids First" in mind. What is best for the kids? What kind of experience do we as their parents want them to have? In 2012, several parents and coaches got together and listed what we needed to do in order to provide the best possible experience.
1. Organization - The league must be organized from top to bottom, no excuses, this is the baseline expectation.
2. Volunteers - Get as many people involved in helping out as possible. "Volunteers With a Purpose" mean we have exact duties for the volunteers to do.
3. Board of Directors - Have an active, energetic board of directors that work together. It's not me, it's we. It's not my idea, but our idea.
4. Expectations - Have clear expectations of what you want everything to look like. What level of expectation do we have for our players, parents, coaches and umpires.
5. Develop Players - From the beginning, create a step by step process to properly develop players, and make it a fun experience for them. This is done by the progression of the set of rules we play by.
Organization Leads to Pride. Pride Leads to Excitement.
Excitement Leads to THE BUZZ. THE BUZZ leads to GROWTH!!
NKB is chartered through Cal Ripken/Babe Ruth baseball. This is a NATIONAL organization with regions, states and districts. We are in District 1 for Kentucky and we encompass Boone, Kenton, Campbell, Pendleton, Grant, Gallatin and Owen Counties. Since this is a national organization there is a pathway for the All Star teams at the end of the season to qualify for state, then region, then finally the national tournament.
While we are chartered through Cal Ripken/Babe Ruth, we still have local flexibility especially at the younger ages to create a step by step pathway to building skills in a logical manner to help your son/daughter be the best they can. The pathway is as follows:
4U-5U
This is our T-Ball age. This is the time to not only teach the basics to the kids, but to train new coaches that are starting for the first time. Coaches should teach the basics of running the bases, hitting the ball off of the T, and defensive positions and spacing.
5U-6U
Rookie Machine Pitch. We overlap age 5 from T-Ball to Rookie Machine Pitch for the kids that have played one year of T-Ball and are ready for the next level. In Rookie Machine Pitch we set up a spring loaded pitching machine for the kids to hit off of. Each coach gets a machine, they are light weight, portable and do not require electricity. The players get two chances to hit off of the machine. If they swing and miss in their first two chances, the batting T is placed on the plate for them to hit off of. This is a wonderful way to transition from T-Ball to Machine Pitch.
7U-8U
Machine Pitch. The pitching machine is set at 40 MPH to pitch to the batters. Base runners are allowed to steal after the ball crosses home plate. By using the pitching machine at these ages, the batter does not have to be afraid of wild pitches from coaches or players. The batters have an opportunities to put the ball into play more often which is more fun for them. The fielders have more opportunities to field the ball which is also more fun for them. It makes for an active, but still controlled game of baseball. Add to this the base runners stealing after the ball crosses the plate, that gives the catcher a real opportunity to throw the base runner out. Four outfielders are used at these ages. Sixty foot base paths are used at this age.
9U
Player Pitch. At 9 years old the kids start pitching. Base runners still are held on the base until the ball crosses the plate. Why? Because we want the pitchers to concentrate on pitching strikes to the batters and not holding runners on at this young age. Also we want to continue to develop our catchers and base runners. When you have to wait on the pitch to cross the plate the catcher has a real opportunity to gun down the base runner. The base runner is forced to run fast and do a proper slide to be safe in many cases. Sixty foot base paths are used at this age.
10U
Player Pitch. At this age we move to 65 foot base paths. Leading off, pitchers holding base runners on the base, and drop 3rd strike are introduced.
11U-12U
At these ages we move to 70' base paths.
13U Prep
Basepaths are set at 80' feet and pitching rubber is set at 56' to allow a transition to high school level play.
14-18U
Regulation sized baseball fields are used at these ages. We move to 90' base paths.
Bambino Buddy Ball
This is our adaptive play co-ed baseball league for children with disabilities.
Please come and join us. If you are looking for a great league to play baseball in, this is it!
