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Frequently Asked Questions

When does the season start?
Terrell Mill has two seasons – spring and fall – with registrations beginning in January and July.  Practices typically start in late February for spring and mid/late-August for fall. Games are played from March to early-May in spring and September through October for fall.

** For the Spring 2012 season, the season will begin March 10. A skills assessment will take place Saturday, Feb. 11, from noon to 2 p.m. Some registrations will be allowed after that if there is space.
 
How many games and practices are there?
Teams typically practice twice a week preceding the season and once per week during the season. Teams play between 10-15 games. Most games are played on Saturdays, but there are occasional weeknight games in the 8-and-under (8U) and 6-and-under (6U) divisions. The 8U and 6U divisions can expect Saturday morning games, while older divisions can play most any time Saturday. Practice days are set by each individual head coach. Each team will have its own regular practice time, and it could be any day from Sunday through Friday, depending on what works best for each individual team.
 
Where are games played?
The older divisions (10U, 12U, 14U, 16U) play in a league that includes teams from other area parks. Home games are played at Terrell Mill. The 8U and 6U divisions might play occasional games at other area parks but play most (and sometimes all) of their games at Terrell Mill. All practices are at Terrell Mill.
 
What is the cost?
Registration fees are subject to change. For the spring 2011 season, the fees are $100 for 8U and 6U and $120 for 10U and above.

What do the registration fees pay for?
Uniforms, balls, bats, catcher’s gear, helmets, insurance, umpire fees, field lining, field maintenance, trophies and other items. 
 
What equipment does my child need?
Just a glove. Uniforms, bats and helmets are provided, although many players purchase their own. Cleats are not provided and are not required, although in the older divisions (10U and above), they are recommended.
 
What is the registration deadline?
The registration deadline for each season will be posted on the home page of our website. If the deadline has passed, we occasionally will take extra players if rosters still have open spots, even after a season has begun.  Registration for the Spring 2012 season has begun.
 
How are teams picked?
Either by draft or by the coordinator of the age division in question. The method must be agreed upon by the head coaches of each age division. The goal is to make the teams equal in strength. Consideration is given to placing friends and siblings together if requested and to keep players with former coaches if requested, although TMSA cannot honor all requests if they compromise competitive balance.
 
What age division would my child play?
For spring seasons, the age division is based on the player’s age on the previous Dec. 31. For fall seasons, the age division is based on the player’s age on the upcoming Dec. 31.
 
For the Spring 2012 season, age divisions will be as follows:
 
16U – girls born in 1995, 1996
14U – girls born in 1997, 1998
12U – girls born in 1999, 2000
10U – girls born in 2001, 2002
8U – girls born in 2003, 2004
6U – girls born in 2004 and later.
 
Note: At the discretion of the league coordinator, some girls may ‘’play up’’ or ‘’play down’’ in age division due to experience or skill level, family reasons (keeping siblings together) and travel reasons (players who carpool.)

What are the rules? The basic differences in the rules for 6U through 16U involve batting. For each age division, they are as follows –
 
6U – Players get 3 attempts to hit a ball pitched by her coach. If she fails to put the ball in play after 3 pitches, she may hit off a tee. There are no strikeouts.
8U – Players get 7 attempts to hit a ball pitched by her coach. If she fails to put the ball in play, she is out.
10U – Players bat against player-pitchers and may strike out (3 strikes) but not walk. If she has not made out in 5 pitches (for example, the count is 5 balls, 0 strikes), her coach will enter the game and pitch the number of strikes remaining (3 pitches in this example).
12U-16U – Entirely player pitched.
 
How do I become a coach? Our registration form asks if you are interested in being a coach. You should make your desires known on this form, and a TMSA official will contact you. TMSA requires that all coaches become ACE-certified, which can be done online and takes less than an hour.
 
What is the competition like? There are beginner players in each age division, although their numbers decrease in each older age division. Most 6U players are beginners. Nearly half of 8U players are beginners. Many of the more experienced and talented players developed at Terrell Mill have moved on to travel (tournament) teams, so most beginners will not be overwhelmed in any recreational age division. 
 
What are travel teams, and how are they different from the leagues that we sign up for? A travel team consists of more dedicated players who play tournaments and continue their season from spring through fall, with only a small break. A rec team (or recreational team) plays in a spring or a fall league.  To play for a travel team, a player must prove herself through a tryout.
 
How can my daughter try out for a travel team? Tryouts for travel teams typically take place in late July and August. For information on travel teams holding tryouts at Terrell Mill, contact Chris Andriano at 678-756-5176.
 
Does Terrell Mill have all-star teams? Yes. An all-star team is a collection of more skilled and experienced players from our rec leagues. Terrell Mill all-star teams typically play in about three tournaments in the summer after the spring season. Ocassionally, an all-star team will be formed to play a tournament after the fall season.