Summer is officially here (as of Monday), but the boys (and girls) of summer have been playing for some time now. Recreation baseball and softball leagues wrapped up action in Greenville last week. Now, those players named to the city’s all-star teams must prepare for the gauntlet that is tournament play.

Being named to an all-star team is a reason for celebration. Players who have exhibited skill, talent and effort throughout the league season are rewarded for a job well done. They have proven themselves on the baseball and softball diamond and now are allowed the opportunity to represent their hometown. We’re sure all of them – from Dixie Mite to Dixie Boys, Dixie Angels to Dixie Ponytails – will be true ambassadors for Greenville, both here and on the road.

The players have perhaps the easiest job of all those involved in tournament play. All they have to do is show up and play the game, give their best and that’s all anyone can expect of them. Oftentimes the sacrifices made these players parents and coaches is overlooked. Coaches spend countless hours at practice doing their best to ensure their players are prepared for every game. Parents devote hours to traveling, making sure uniforms are washed and ready, and planning how and when their children are going to eat. Baseball and softball games, ever unpredictable, may stretch into extra innings and go long into the night. Rain may force a game to be rescheduled. Being part of a winning tournament team is an exciting ride for players, coaches and parents alike, but it also means devoting that much more time and money into the experience.

We applaud the amount of work the coaches and parents have already put into our all-star teams. We’re sure, no matter what the outcome of the games, that the time they’ve spent with our young people has been both rewarding and fun. We wish all our teams the best of luck this tournament season.