"Hey, can I ride in your car with you?" said no player on this year's Girls Preparatory School softball squad to a teammate.
The reason is not one of the Bruisers is eligible for a driver license yet.
Lilly Berger, the team's starting center fielder and leadoff batter, is close. She turns 16 next week.
Berger is one of four sophomores on the roster. There are no upperclassmen, with the other players freshmen and eighth-graders.
GPS coach Susan Crownover said she has never been one to designate captains or have a team vote on them. She expects leaders to emerge naturally.
They're just not usually members of the sophomore class.
"I was kind of prepared for it," Berger said. "We knew last year all the seniors would be graduating and there were no juniors coming up. You go from used to goofing off to now you have to be serious because the younger ones are looking up to you. It's kind of scary."
Whatever the formula, the result to date is an 18-10 record that includes winning Gibbs High School's tournament in Knoxville. The Bruisers have only one victory in Division II-AA East/Middle Region play, but it's the only region game they've played and it was against archrival Baylor, which beat them in last year's state final.
GPS faces another big test at 5:30 p.m. today when it hosts Pope John Paul II, the only other East/Middle team that hasn't lost a league game this season.
"That's really what I'm focusing on right now. I've been mentally preparing for that game since we beat Baylor," GPS sophomore catcher and third baseman Haley Smith said. "We know we have the chance to be number one in our region."
The Bruisers beat the Lady Knights in the past two state tournaments but lost to them both years in the regular season.
"They've had our number a little bit in the regular season lately," Crownover said. "Hopefully we can get that straightened out on Friday."
GPS's eighth-graders are Hannah Petty, Elizabeth "Lizzer" Warwick and Ariana Whatley. They weren't involved in those losses to the Lady Knights, but teammates have educated them on the importance of this year's game.
"It is important," said Warwick, who along with Whatley has earned a starting spot in the outfield. "We need to win. We're very good for as young as we are. We still have a lot to learn, but I definitely think we can improve."
With all the youth the Bruisers have, the future looks to be extremely bright. But a team leader like sophomore pitcher and corner infielder Hannah Kincer is able to keep things in perspective.
Future? Why not now?
"You never know what's going to happen in the next two years," Kincer said. "We're really focused on playing as hard as we can this year. Our ultimate goal is to win a state championship. We want to add another sign to the fence."
Crownover said this year's team has been all about having fun. She noted that it has helped that there are no aggressive personalities among the group.
Youthful teams often get accused of benefiting from not being able to realize when key situations (with possible pressure) arise. Yes, these Bruisers are young, extremely so by high school varsity standards, but they're aware, they prepare and they do things with flair.
"They're not a huge cheerleader group, but they'll do something new in the middle of the game. Or the middle of an at-bat," Crownover said. "They're definitely a loose bunch. They like to sing a lot. I'd much rather them be loose. I think some people think of me as being intense. But all I really want is you to do the right thing and play hard. But I want you to stay loose.
"So far no situation has been too big for them. I know it gets bigger as the season goes on. I just hope they keep that looseness."
Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow him on Twitter @KelleySmiddie.