NATCHEZ — Coachs John Sullivan and Ryan Marchbanks are on the same page when it comes to having one competitive league — they’re in favor of the lessons it teaches.

Sullivan and Marchbanks will travel with their respected teams, the Natchez Nationals and Natchez Americans, today for a state qualifying tournament in Summit. Each coach felt their tournament teams are much stronger having played in a joined competitive league instead of having separate competitive and noncompetitive ones.

“The kids weren’t learning anything,” Sullivan said. “And after we started keeping score and doing competitive tee ball last year, kids got interested again.”

Marchbanks agreed with that sentiment, and he believed it was much easier to teach the game with the consequences of losing available.

“Learning the rules and learning that if you don’t do what the coaches ask you to do there are repercussions,” Marchbanks said. “I think teaching that as early as possible is important, and I know some parents don’t agree with that.”

Natchez Dixie Youth President Jeff Webb said the reason Dixie Youth had competitive tee ball instead of competitive and noncompetitive was because the league didn’t have enough 4 year olds to sign up for the noncompetitive team. They would of had only two noncompetitive teams had they not combined both leagues.

“There are positives and negatives to it,” Webb said. “I’m not sure if we’re going to do that again next year.”

One of the positives Webb referred to was having just one big league filled with 10 tee ball teams. However, he felt the 4 year olds weren’t ready for the competitive league.

As Sullivan looked out at his Nationals team’s practice Tuesday night, he pointed out the glaring differences he’s seen in the players because of the added consequences of winning or losing. He feels it’s going to help them transition to coach pitch, having learned more fundamentals than before.

“They know what to do with the ball now,” Sullivan said. “We like it cause they’re learning, and you can see it.”

Sullivan’s team will play against one of the two McComb teams at 6 p.m. in the first round of the tournament. Marchbanks’ Americans team will play at 8 p.m. Of the five teams playing in the tournament, the top three will qualify for the state tournament.