1. What is McMinn County Little League? MCLL is a youth baseball league, sponsored and organized by the City of Athens Parks & Recreation Department. It is a sanctioned Little League Official Program that adheres fully to the official regulations, playing rules, and operating policies of Little League International. We believe in the power of youth baseball to teach life lessons that build stronger individuals and communities.
2. How old does my child have to be to participate in McMinn County Little League? To participate in Tee Ball, players must turn 3 years old prior to Opening Day, April 5th, 2025. Players who are aged 4 to 12 by Little League International rules will be eligible to play in Coach Pitch, Minor, or Major leagues. Click here to see the current Age Chart: 2025 Little League Age Chart
3. What are the age groups in McMinn County Little League? Tee Ball is for boys and girls ages 3 & 4. The Coach Pitch divisions are split into 4/5/6 year olds and 6/7/8 year olds. The 4/5/6 group can also choose to hit off a tee if the player is unable to hit the coach's pitch. 6/7/8 is Coach Pitch only, and when the competitive play begins. Player pitch begins in the Minor League at 8/9/10 and finishes with Major League for 10/11/12.
4. How do I register my child? Go to https://leagues.bluesombrero.com/Default.aspx?tabid=1997390 to register your child. You will need to create an account. Once you input your child's birthdate, you will be able to select the correct league age and register for the upcoming season.
5. What do the player registration fees cover? The Tee Ball fee is $25 per player, which includes a T-shirt jersey and secondary medical insurance. The fee for Little League is $75 per player, which includes a jersey, pants, hat, socks, and secondary medical insurance. The actual cost per child to play in our league exceeds the player fee, and the difference in cost is offset by the City of Athens Parks & Recreation programming budget and concessions revenue to help us to keep our player fees at the current rate.
6. Once my child is registered, what is the next step? Tee-Ball & 4/5/6 players will next hear directly from their coach about when the first practice will be. 6/7/8, 8/9/10, and 10/11/12 players have a skills assessment so all managers and coaches can grade the abilities of each child and then select them through an open draft process.
7. Is my child required to attend evaluations? YES, all children (including the manager and assistant coach's children) are required to attend evaluations. Little League believes in competitive balance so it is important that players participate in the evaluation process and are then selected through an open draft process. If your child doesn't attend the evaluation, they will be randomly selected to a team.
8. Does McMinn County Little League allow coach requests by parents? Coach and player requests will be used to form teams in Tee-Ball & 4/5/6 age groups. 6/7/8 and up are the competitive leagues that use a draft process. Requests may be made in all age groups but there is no guarantee they will be honored.
9. Once the drafts are complete, how long before my child’s manager will contact me? Managers will contact you within 3-4 days of the drafts being completed.
10. What days of the week does McMinn County Little League have games and practices? Opening Day is on Saturday, April 5th. Tee-Ball, 4/5/6, and 8/9/10 practice and play games on Mondays and Thursdays. 6/7/8 & 10/11/12 play games on Tuesdays and Fridays. Everyone will also have a play day of games on Saturday, May 10th. There are times make-up games will be played on Wednesdays and Saturdays if needed. The season usually concludes prior to Memorial Day, weather permitting, and All-Star activities may begin on June 1st.
11. What is All-Stars and how are the teams selected? The post-season All-Stars is where the best players from each local league are selected to compete in the district tournament against other local All-Star teams in our area, with the chance to advance to the state, regional, national, and international level. Managers will meet at the end of the regular season to nominate players from their teams and they will be selected by the All-Star coaching staff that is chosen by the MCLL Board of Directors.
12. How many teams are involved in All-Stars? All-Stars play begins at 7/8 Coach Pitch, and progresses through 9/10 Baseball and 11/12 Baseball. In 2024, McMinn County had 4 All-Star teams: 2 in 7/8, 1 in 9/10, and 1 in 11/12.
13. Who does McMinn County Little League compete against? MCLL is a member of Little League Tennessee District 6 along with Maryville, Loudon, Karns, Fountain City, Lafollette, New Tazewell, Union County, Grainger County, Mooresburg/Bean Station, and Harrogate.
14. What paperwork is required if my child is selected for All-Stars? All players are required to have a Medical Release Form, Birth Certificate, School Enrollment Form and/or Three Proofs of Residency. If your school is in our boundary, the school form is the simplest method to achieve eligibility. Please see the proof of residency that can be used: Proof of Residency- Items required
15. What schools are located within the McMinn County Little League Boundaries? Athens City Primary, Athens City Intermediate, Athens City Middle, Calhoun Elementary, E.K. Baker Elementary, Englewood Elementary, Mountain View Elementary, Niota Elementary, Riceville Elementary, Rogers Creek Elementary, Meigs North Elementary, Meigs South Elementary, Meigs Middle, Christ Legacy Academy, Fairview Christian Academy.
16. Are volunteers required to obtain a background check? Yes! All volunteers are required to complete a background check through JDP and receive a certification for Child Abuse Awareness. Current concussion and cardiac arrest training will also be required.
17. How can I locate my child's schedule? McMinn County Little League uses Quickscores: https://www.quickscores.com/cityofathenstn
18. What is the minimum playing time? Little League rules now mandate a CBO (Continuous Batting Order) and each player is required to play a minimum of 6 outs in the field.
19. How do I sign up to be a manager or coach? Anyone who is interested in being a manager must fill out the application and complete the background check found here: