Play Hard – Play Fair – Have Fun
Please refer to the FAQ section below for answer to common questions.
At Town and Country Baseball, each age division is assigned its own field, meaning nearly all recreational league games take place at the T&C facility. Notably, our 4U and 6U divisions enjoy professionally installed turf fields, a feature unique to this age group. However, there are exceptions for interleague games, open team leagues, tournament games, and other special events. If you’re unsure about your game location, it is best to confirm with your coach.
Seasonal Schedules:
Game times may vary each season based on factors such as the number of teams and the availability of umpires. Always refer to the schedule on Quickscores for the most up-to-date information: Town and Country Sports Schedule.
Weekday and Saturday Games:
During the season, players may have one game during the week and another on Saturday. Weekday games generally start at 6:00 pm, with a second game beginning 10-15 minutes after the first concludes. On Saturdays, games for all leagues start at 9:00 am and continue throughout the day, with the final games starting around 5:00 pm.
Arrival Time:
Players should plan on arriving 30-60 minutes prior to game time to warm up. Each coach is different and will inform your team when they need to arrive at the fields.
Weekly Practices:
Town and Country encourages coaches to hold one full practice and one hitting practice per week. The exact schedule is determined by the availability of field space and the number of teams. Each team’s volunteer head coach will decide the best schedule for their team.
Lower Division Practices (8U and Under):
For the 8U and under leagues, it is common for coaches to use offsite facilities, such as local parks or schools to minimize cost.
Field Practice Benefits:
Practicing on Town and Country fields is a key benefit of participating in our recreational baseball program. The number of practices included with the registration fee varies from season to season. While the availability of practice slots is limited by the number of teams in each division, we strive to make the most of our resources. Head coaches have the option to purchase additional slots. This process is explained during the pre-season coach orientation.
Additional Costs:
Please note that volunteer coaches often cover the costs of additional practice slots out of pocket unless they use off-site facilities. Each field rental at T&C incurs expenses that must be covered through registration fees or external payments.
Practices usually begin the week following the team draft. Once the coach has the team’s roster, they will schedule practices and contact team members and parents with practice details (location & time).
The registration fee includes:
What equipment do I need to provide?
* Only 14U players are allowed to wear metal cleats; all other divisions must wear rubber molded cleats
Be sure to check with your coach and team parent before buying the pants, socks and belt.
You will need to provide a batting helmet, belt, socks, pants and cleats. The pants are usually gray or white. Be sure to check with your coach and team parent prior to buying new pants for the season. Only players in 14U divisions are allowed to wear metal cleats. All other divisions must wear rubber molded cleats. Coaches are provided with catcher’s gear for the team’s use.
What equipment do I need to provide?
Coaches will provide catcher’s gear for the team’s use.
What kind of glove should my child use?
A quality leather glove is essential. Vinyl and simulated leather gloves, while cheaper, can cause frustration as they are difficult to form a pocket in and the ball tends to pop out. Gloves should be appropriately sized for the player, ranging from 10″ to 14″, and should last about 2 years of play. Avoid buying a glove that is too big with the idea that the player will grow into it.
Does my child need a bat?
Yes, players will need a bat. Aluminum bats vary in price, size, and quality. Coaches are familiar with the T&C Bat rule, which adheres to current national standards for approved bats. You can consult with local sporting goods suppliers for a size chart or visit bat manufacturers’ websites. It is important to ensure the bat is appropriate for the player’s age and size.
It is strongly recommended to get input from your child’s coach before buying a new bat or glove.
Season Start Dates:
For specific league dates and events, please visit the T&C Baseball page
4U Tball Fall & Spring Seasons:
6U & Above Spring Season:
6U & Above Fall Season:
Requests for buddies and specific coaches are taken into consideration during team formation up to the 8U level. However, placement with friends or preferred coaches is not guaranteed. For age groups 10U and older, buddy and coach requests are reviewed by commissioners before the player selection draft. While coaches will make efforts to accommodate these requests where feasible, it’s important for parents and players to understand that we may not always be able to fulfill these preferences.
If your child is unhappy with the team after the draft, switching teams is generally not allowed except in extreme cases. To request a team change, submit a written request to your league commissioner, detailing the reasons for the request. The commissioner will review the request and may seek your assistance in resolving any issues before bringing it to the board. If you prefer, you can also contact the board officer directly who oversees your child’s league. For more information, visit the Baseball Board page for contact details.
How can I get help or more information?
If you need assistance or information, please visit the Baseball Board page where you will find a list of baseball officers and coordinators. If you are unsure on who is the correct board member to contact, the Baseball Board President is the best person as he/she will be able to resolve your issue the quickest and most effectively.
Who should I contact first if I know the issue is team related?
Start by contacting your age division commissioner with any concerns or questions. If the commissioner cannot resolve the issue, reach out to the Vice President for your age division:
You can also contact any board member or officer if needed.
How quickly will I receive a response?
Our Baseball Board is an all-volunteer organization. While we aim to respond within 48 hours, please understand that we may not always be able to reply the same day. Texting is typically responded to the soonest.
Can I attend a board meeting?
Yes, you are welcome to attend a board meeting to discuss your concerns directly and it is encouraged that you let the league know your concerns so we can ensure we resolve it and continue the excellence of Town and County Baseball. Meetings are usually held on the second Monday of each month. To be added to the agenda and confirm the meeting location and time, please email the Baseball President.
Refunds are subject to the following deductions per T&C’s Refund Policy:
The refund request form can be found here: https://www.tandcsports.org/about-tc/tc-office/
Protected players are specific to each league and may change as required. They are identified before tryouts and automatically assigned to teams with approval from commissioners and the Baseball Executive Board. The number of protected players can vary from 4 to 9 players per team, with board approval. Please contact your league commissioner if you have any questions regarding protected players.
T-ball (4U & 6U) players are assigned to teams by the commissioner and league officers, aiming to group players from the same neighborhood whenever possible.
Other age divisions require players to undergo assessments (try-outs) and participate in a draft to be placed on teams. Players showcase their skills during tryouts in front of league coaches, who use these evaluations to make draft selections. Players who do not attend tryouts cannot be drafted and will be assigned to teams via a random selection method. Aside from protected players, there is no assurance of placement on a specific team.
During the fall and spring seasons, all players (except 4U/6U T-ball and protected players) must attend assessments to be drafted onto teams. Those who do not attend will be assigned teams via a random selection process.
Assessments allow league managers to evaluate players before the draft, including fielding ground balls, throwing to first base from shortstop, and hitting either off a tee (8U and under) or from a coach pitching from the mound (10U and up)
Assessments are scheduled in a welcoming environment, and times for each division are typically posted on the main baseball webpage a few weeks beforehand.
Based on feedback from previous coaches, the number one quality that coaches value is a player’s effort at the task presented.
In all divisions, all children participating in player tryouts will be placed on teams during the draft. All players missing the tryout will be drawn blindly and placed on teams.
Baseballs in the 4U and 6U T-ball leagues are not regulation; they use a softer RIF baseball. Players encounter regulation baseballs first in the 7-8U division.
Pitching is prohibited in 4U & 6U T-ball; all players must hit the ball from a tee.
Coach Pitch (8U) is a league that balances instruction and competition. The AA division focuses on instructional play for newcomers to competitive baseball. If over 50 players register, we also have a AAA division. AAA typically consists of 2nd year 8U players, though first-year players may join. AAA emphasizes competitive play. Scores and standings are tracked for both divisions. AAA teams may compete against other local leagues (interleague games), playing at T&C or their fields.
No kids pitch in the 8U Coach Pitch league. Only coaches are allowed to pitch in both the AA and AAA leagues of 8U.
AA leagues are “recreational leagues” typically available for players who need more development – it is best suited for players who have either not played baseball before or have played very little baseball with limited development.
The AAA division, when offered, provides a more competitive environment than our regular AA division, catering to experienced players. Teams are formed through projects, tryouts and a draft at Town & Country. Players not protected by a coach (protects vary from league to league and season to season) must attend tryouts to be eligible for AAA consideration. Players who sign up for AAA but are not drafted will automatically enter the AA draft pool. AAA teams for ages 7-10 primarily play at T&C with occasional travel to face other AAA teams from nearby leagues.
Open Baseball at Town and Country involves highly competitive Select Teams consisting of players typically aged 11 to 14. Select baseball refers to a level of competitive youth baseball where players are chosen through tryouts or selections rather than standard registration. Open Teams involve higher levels of skill and commitment compared to recreational leagues. Select teams also have significantly more expenses incurred to play baseball. Select teams often travel to compete against other select teams from different areas, and players may participate in tournaments and leagues that emphasize development and competitive play, such as Perfect Game.
The focus is on enhancing skills, teamwork, and providing more intense competition for players who are more committed to the sport. Open teams typically practice 2-3 times a week and play 4-6 games a weekend on both Saturday and Sunday. If interested in an Open Team, please contact the Baseball Board President for additional information. Currently, Town and Country has an affiliated baseball organization playing under several age divisions known formally as the Town and Country Baseball Club – The Club for short.
Field Day is typically held the day before each season (Spring and Fall) to prepare our fields for games. All coaches, parents, and community members are encouraged to participate. Tasks may include laying new dirt, painting, raking, and maintaining equipment like bases and nets. T&C Baseball operates entirely on volunteer efforts; our board members and commissioners are unpaid. Your volunteerism helps create a great playing environment for our kids at T&C.
To become a coach, you must fill out a coach’s application during registration. You are also required to give permission for a background check. You need to give coaching background, if any, and character references. The Baseball Board will review all applications and select the coaches for that season.
All T&C volunteers, from coaches to team managers, must successfully pass a background screen and complete an abuse prevention course to be in compliance with the federally mandated Youth Safe Sports Act. All volunteers who engage with players in practices or games in the dugout or on the field must complete the volunteer process.
To become an approved coach (or volunteer of any kind), you must fill out the SportsEngine Coach Application at the beginning of a season. The application will generate a criminal background check and direct you to watch an abuse prevention video. Only those coaches that have successfully passed the background check and completed the abuse prevention training will be considered by the Baseball Board to be selected as coaches for the season. Both the background check and abuse prevention training must be completed prior to contact with players.
The certification is good for two years from the date of completion. Coaches whose certifications have expired will need to reapply following the process above.
The league cutoff date is April 30th. A player’s league age is determined by his or her age prior to May 1st. For example, if your player turns 9 on May 2, then the player is considered to be a 8 year old for that Fall or Spring’s play. Another player who turns 9 on Apr 29th is considered a 9-year-old since the birthday occurs before the cutoff date.
Players must play in the proscribed age division. This is critical to maintaining competitive balance, safety of all players, and promoting proper development. Particularly when a player’s birthdate is very close to the age cutoff, parents may be concerned about how playing in the stipulated age group will work out for their player. Each coach will lead a team composed of players with a range of experience and physical and baseball abilities, and each player will find success in the appropriate age level.
During the spring season each coach will be allowed to nominate players from their team to participate on a June-only tournament team which competes with other area league teams. After the date to submit nominations has passed (usually some time during the first week of May) all the regular season coaches from each division will meet to vote on the players to be assigned to the tournament teams. All regular season coaches may apply to be the head coach of a tournament team. Coach selections will be done by the coach selection committee.
The web page will be updated as soon as we can get the information that games are canceled. On large rain event days, it will be an easy call for our baseball board to make. They will contact us and we will update the page between 3:00 & 5:00 PM weekdays, and between 7:30 and 8:30 AM on Saturdays. On days when there is thunder, lightning, or light rain just before at or during game time, a commissioner will need to evaluate the fields and contact us with specific information about which fields are playable and which are not. We may not get the data updated until closer to or at game time on these days.
On the front page, you will see a button titled “Field Status”. Clicking this will take you to the Field Status page which is updated daily at a minimum and more frequently during weather events. The field status is also updated on our Twitter account: @TCSportsAustin.
Until the page is updated, or you have been contacted by your coach, you should assume games are being played. To be sure you are seeing the freshest information posted to the web page, click the refresh button in your browser’s tool bar.
The Town & Country Sports Complex is now monitored by a Thor Guard lightning prediction and warning system. The Thor Guard system measures atmospheric conditions at the T&C campus and surrounding area. When the conditions reach the threshold for potential lightning, an alarm will sound (one long blast of the sirens) and the strobe lights will begin to flash.
Steps to take when the Thor Guard sirens and lights are activated:
1. EVERYONE on the T&C campus must take immediate shelter, either in cars or in the T&C restrooms (these are the safest structures).
2. Only when the Thor Guard system gives the ‘all clear’ (3 short siren blasts and the lights go off), may activities resume.
It is the responsibility of every adult on campus to comply with these steps, and to ensure that every child also complies. This is a Zero Tolerance safety condition for participating at T&C. Failure to comply is to do so at your own safety risk, and with possible expulsion from the T&C campus and future activities.
You may view the status of the T&C Thor Guard system from your smart phone or PC at this link: Thor Guard
Additional Common-Sense Steps:
In the unlikely event that you see lightning in the vicinity or hear thunder, and the Thor Guard system has not activated:
1. Notify the Commissioner on Duty (COD) for your sport.
2. The COD will consider this information and determine if activities should be suspended. The COD may use additional sources of information, such as the ‘Weatherbug’ app, in making the decision. Lightning strikes within 10 miles identified by the app warrant suspension of activities.
3. If the COD decides to suspend activities, he/she will retrieve the bullhorn from the lightning box by the main office, and trigger 5 long blasts. Upon hearing these blasts, EVERYONE on campus, across all sports, must immediately seek shelter in cars or restrooms.
4. The COD who initiated the suspension of activities will communicate the ‘all clear’ 30 minutes after the last reported thunder or lighting. This will be done through 2 blasts on the bullhorn.
