CHAA Baseball Frequently Asked Questions
( Please scroll down for answers to questions below)
1.General Questions
1.1 What is this new Lighting fee I’ve heard about and will I have to pay for it? 1.2 How are teams selected? Is there a draft? 1.3 Does my child have to attend player evaluations? 1.4 If I have two kids in the same league, will they be on the same team? 1.5 Will my child play games only at Collins Hill Park or will there be travel involved to other parks? 1.6 Will all my practices be at Collins Hill Park? 1.7 When are the dates of the evalutations, draft, practices, first game, pictures, etc?2. PRE-T/T-Ball Questions
2.1 What is the difference between Pre-T and T-Ball? 2.2 If my child will not be 5 until after the May 1st cutoff date, could he still play T-Ball? 2.3 Does T-Ball include pitching?3. Registration Questions
3.1 How is my child’s age group determined? 3.2 Can my child play in a different age group? 3.3 What does the registration fee pay for? 3.4 I have more than one child to register; does CHAA provide a discount for registering another child online? 3.5 Can my child be on the same team as his friend?
1. General Questions
1.1 What is this new Lighting fee I’ve heard about and will I have to pay for it?
Beginning in January 2011, all Gwinnett County Parks will be charged for using baseball field lights. At this time, Collins Hill Park will only be charged for 1/2 of the usage. This is new in January 2011. While it would be easy to pass this new “fee” to the parents of our baseball players, it is the Baseball Board’s intent to try very hard to pay this lighting “fee” by eliminating and reducing expenses while at the same time, trying very hard to increase sponsorships. We will know as the season progresses and we are billed for lights how this new “fee” will impact our registration cost in the future. Other parks in Gwinnett County are going through the same process.
1.2 How are teams selected? Is there a draft?
Pre-T teams are assigned players. With teams in other leagues from T-Ball to Senior, player are evaluated and scored by coaches. Scores are shared with all coaches and are used during a player’s draft to create fair and balanced teams as possible. Only Head Coaches and one assitant coach can attend the draft.
1.3 Does my child have to attend player evaluations?
Yes. To help create fair and balanced teams, all players need to be evaluated. Evaluations involve coaches watching players batting, pitching, fielding, catching, running, and throwing. Players should bring batting helmet, baseball glove, and bat. Any child who is unable to attend player evaluation day needs to contact the Baseball Board. Any player who is not evaluated will not be allowed to be “frozen” during the draft. Player evaluations typically last only a few minutes per player.
1.4 If I have two kids in the same league, will they be on the same team?
Yes… Unless parents prefer otherwise.
1.5 Will my child play games only at Collins Hill park or will there be travel involved to other parks?
Depending the season and the number of teams, the Baseball Board will decide if teams will travel to other parks. Pre-T and T-Ball teams will not play at other parks.
1.6 Will all my practices be at Collins Hill Park?
Depending on the number of teams, yes and no. Typically, with many teams in a single league, teams share baseball field time equally. Teams may practice one evening at Collins Hill Park, another evening at a local school’s baseball field, and another evening at the Collins Hill Park batting cages.
1.7 When are the dates of the evaluations, drafts, practices, first game, pictures, etc?
Evaluations date and time are assigned during the registration process. Typically end of January early February depending on the weather. Draft is 1 month after registration starts. Games and Practices are scheduled after the draft process is complete. Typically, teams will practice 1-3 times per week with a game on Saturday. There will be some middle of the week evening games. Opening day is the first Saturday in March. Individual and Team pictures are before the first game Opening Day.
2. PRE-T/T-Ball Questions
2.1 What is the difference between Pre-T and T-Ball?
Pre-T teams meet 2 times a week while T-Ball teams meet no more than 4 times a week. Meetings include practices and baseball games. Typically there is one game a week but sometimes there are two which means there is one less practice for that week. In Pre-T, all players bat every inning while in T-Ball, the inning ends after 6 outs (that’s 3 for each team!). Paid umpires officiate T-Ball games; there are no umpires in Pre-T. Players in both Pre-T and T-Ball are provided uniforms.
2.2 If my child will not be 5 until after the May 1st cutoff date, could he still play T-Ball?
Every opportunity must be given to children of the correct age to play T-Ball. If your child will be 5 before within a few months of the cutoff date, we will consider them IF there are still plenty of available slots either just before or just after tryouts. Otherwise, your child will play in the Pre-T league.
2.3 Does T-Ball include pitching?
T-Ball games include coach pitching as well as hitting baseballs off a tee. This will give the more experienced kids the opportunity to learn how to hit pitches and prepare them for the next league. Younger T-Ball players still have the opportunity to hit baseballs off the tee during the season.
3. Registration Questions
3.1 How is my child’s age group determined?
The leagues are divided by age group as listed on the registration flyer. Your player’s league age is his/her age as of May 1st of this year.
| 2012 Spring Program/Age Group | Born Between Dates |
| Pre-T | 05/01/2007 – 01/01/2009 |
| T-Ball | 05/01/2005 – 04/30/2007 |
| Pee Wee | 05/01/2003 – 04/30/2005 |
| Minor | 05/01/2001 – 04/30/2003 |
| Major | 05/01/1999 – 04/30/2001 |
| Pony | 05/01/1997 – 04/30/1999 |
| Senior | 08/01/1992 – 04/30/1997 |
3.2 Can my child play in a different age group?
Because of the early age cutoff for our league, some parents desire for their children to play in an older age group. With Baseball Director prior approval, a child may play up one age group. This will be based on the child’s athletic ability to ensure for the safety of the children. No child will be able to play down one age group.
3.3 What does the registration fee pay for?
The players uniform, operation of the park, including insurance, umpires, balls, team equipment, including, catcher’s equipment, brick dust, batting cage, maintenance, Concession fee, county baseball field lighting fee, etc. It also pays for (pre-t excluded):
- Personalized swing analysis video of your son/daughter (Username and Password required)
- Parents will have online access to view the swing analysis of their child/children
- Head Coach will have online access to each child’s swing analysis on their team
- Unlimited access to First Strike Online Training Videos
- Discounted training fees (group and individual)
- Discounted batting cage fees
- Coaching Clinic for All CHAA Baseball Coaches
3.4 I have more than one child to register; does CHAA provide a discount for registering another child?
Yes, you will receive $10 off the registration for a second child. This discount is applied automatically when you register online.
3.5 Can my child be on the same team as his friend?
It is CHAA Policy to place siblings on the same team. Coaches select players during the player draft process and are only informed of siblings. CHAA does not force coaches to selet a player and his friend. However, if you voluteer to be a head coach/manager, you can select your child’ s friend to be on your team.