CARLSBAD, Calif. (KGTV) — For the next few days, Aviara Community Park in Carlsbad will transform into an international baseball showcase as 10 teams compete in the Pony League World Series.
The tournament features youth teams from across the United States and around the world, including Japan, all vying for the championship title in this prestigious 13-year-old division.
"We're thrilled to have it for a second year in a row. It just gets more exciting. We added two more teams this year. We have Japan coming this year. We have several new teams from other states...it's just really exciting," Tom Benton, Carlsbad Youth Baseball president, told ABC 10News.
Thursday's festivities include an opening ceremony and skills competition, followed by double elimination play continuing through Tuesday.
Pony League baseball, which dates back 75 years, offers young players a more advanced version of the game compared to Little League, with rules that more closely resemble professional baseball.
"We try to mimic the Major League game the kids see on TV as closely as possible," Abraham Key, Pony League Baseball president and CEO, said.
This means incorporating elements like lead-offs, stolen bases, and more complex strategy into the game.
"I think it's super-realistic and it's super-fun, because when you get to do that stuff, it almost feels like you're in the pros, and you're just having fun," Nathan Donovan, Carlsbad Pony League player, said.
This approach to youth baseball has helped Pony League develop a significant international following over the decades.
"Today PONY is over 30,000 teams, 500,000 annual participants...the second largest international youth baseball program in the world," Key said.
As the host region, San Diego County will be represented by two teams in the tournament: Carlsbad and Tecolote Canyon. The stands are expected to be filled with enthusiastic fans, and games will be streamed live with professional announcers calling the action.
The high-profile nature of the event adds excitement for players like Jonas Ayala of the Carlsbad team.
"I'm very excited. I watched it a little bit last year. It looks like so much fun, having all the fans, and just baseball against other countries," Ayala said.
Unfortunately for Ayala, he'll be watching from the sidelines after a recent accident.
"I broke my tibia and fractured my fibula in an e-bike accident," he said.
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