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 May in spring and September through October for fall.
 
How many games and practices are there?
Teams typically practice one to two times a week preceding the season and once per week during the season. Teams play between 8-12 games. Most games are played on Saturdays,  The 8U and 6U divisions can expect Saturday morning games, while older divisions can play most any time Saturday. Practice days/times 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?
We participate in the IFTG (It's For The Girls) league with Rhyne Park and Hurt Road Park.  We alternate hosting the Saturday games between the three parks.
 
What is the cost?
Registration fees are subject to change. For the spring 2018 season, the fees are $85 for 6U, $130 for 8U and $150 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?
All they need is 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 (8U 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. 
 
How are teams picked?
Either by a 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.
 
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 5 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.