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NATCHEZ – Registration continues for the inaugural Natchez Youth Sports baseball season.

“We are very excited about our upcoming baseball season,” said director Ryan Porter.

Natchez Youth Sports, supported by the City of Natchez Parks and Recreation Department, is bringing league baseball back to Natchez after both the T.M. Jennings and Dixie Youth leagues ceased operations. The new league will operate under the USSSA umbrella.

Helping youngsters learn the sport of baseball and enjoy the spirit of competition, as well as building the community, is the goal of Natchez Youth Sports. Porter knows from personal experience how important youth sports can be.

“I can remember everybody on my 9- and 10-year-old baseball team,” he said. “I formed bonds with some of those kids that last today.”

Porter said the new league will accommodate 400 players, ages 3 to 12, in five age brackets: 3/4U Wee Ball; 5/6U T-ball; 7/8U Coach Pitch; 9/10U Kids Pitch; and 11/12U baseball. Registration costs are $65 or $75 depending on age, and jerseys and hats will be provided to players

Nearly 100 players are already signed up, and the deadline for online registration is March 1.

“We are planning an in-person registration event on Saturday, March 2, at Sports Center in Natchez,” Porter said. “We’re still finalizing the times.”

More important, Porter said he already has 20 coaches committed to the league and more than a dozen sponsors.

Porter said the league is for all level of players.

“We will have a free skills clinic on March 9, and we’ll have registration then as well,” he said.

Teams will be selected through a draft selection process on March7 and March 9. “This ensures that teams are evenly matched and provide a positive experience for all involved,” Porter said. “Our goal is not only to promote healthy competition but also to give children the opportunity to form new friendships with others they may not have had the chance to meet otherwise.”

Play will begin in April.

More information about the league or details about registration can be found at www.natchezyouthsports.com.