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NATCHEZ — At long last, the Natchez-Adams Girls Softball League as well as Concordia Dixie Youth Baseball both got their summer seasons under way last week after a lengthy wait due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Concordia Dixie Youth President Mike Bowlin said his league started play last Monday. The Natchez-Adams Girls Softball League, led by league president Bridget Wactor, began last Tuesday with four games. And both are glad to see the boys and girls, respectively, back on the fields.

“The main thing is getting them something to do. They’ve been cooped up in their house for three months,” Bowlin said. “That’s one of the main reasons we started back. We’ve got 21 teams and 40 or 50 kids from Natchez being they did not have a program this year.”

However, Bowlin noted that there will be no district, state and World Series tournaments this year.

“Dixie Youth Baseball encouraged us to have a local league this year,” Bowlin said.

Bowlin said having a youth sports league is important to getting the kids some kind of normal again.

“Sportsmanship, teamwork and socializing with other kids are important for them to do,” Bowlin said. “We just felt like they missed the last (few) months of school. They needed to get outside. People are playing baseball and softball. We wanted to continue that.”

There are important things Bowlin noted are being done to keep the kids and others safe during the season.

“We’re sanitizing the dugouts after every ball game. Nobody can sit in the bleachers. We’re not serving any cooked food. Just bagged food. Trying to keep everyone safe,” Bowlin said.

Bowlin said the Concordia Dixie Youth Baseball league will play through July 27.

“If people want to come out and watch, they can come out for free,” Bowlin said. “Parents and grandparents want to watch their kids come out and play ball.”