Dixie Youth AAA State Tourney comes to Greenville

BY BRUCE BRANUM

The Greenville Standard

 

What’s more American than baseball? This past weekend the City of Greenville hosted the Dixie Youth Baseball organization State Tournament in Alabama for AAA, which is for players 10 and under.

Sixteen teams from across the state piled into Greenville on Friday, July 9, for the opening ceremonies.

They included: Auburn Blue and Orange, Gordo, Andalusia, Opelika, Hueytown, Prattville,   AUM, Dothan American, Alexandrian, Decatur American, Rogersville, Municipal American, Rehobeth, Dallas County, and Greenville.

Greenville Mayor Dexter McLendon said, “I love baseball and this tournament is good for Greenville and the economy. I’m amazed at the turnout. You can’t find a hotel room in Greenville.”

The economic boost to the local economy can be equated to tens of thousands of dollars. Previous locally held state baseball and softball tournaments have always been a boost to the economy.

The true extent of the boost is hard to determine, but in any given restaurant in Greenville you were sure to notice young baseball players, their coaches, and families.

The Greenville Parks and Recreation was well prepared for this year’s tournament, especially with having experience from hosting the 2010 Dixie Majors, 2016 Dixie Debs, and the 2018 Dixie Ozone State Tournaments.

You could definitely say all hands were on deck as many community members involved in youth programs volunteered to help with field care, admissions, announcing, and many other parts of hosting a tournament with hundreds of daily attendees.