By Andy Simmons

The boys of summer continue to prepare across the community for their strenuous next few weeks of tournament play across the southeast.

The AAA Rookie Tournament team is no exception. They have been vigorously training these past few weeks, hoping to do what every team in Pike County is striving for: amateur baseball triumph.

Coach Cliff Ledford, who has been coaching in Troy for four years, leads the team. Three of those years he has been the tournament team head coach.

In those three years, Ledford has preached that defense is the key to success.

“Play defense, good sound fundamental baseball, put the baseball in play and I think we’ll be fine.” Ledford said.

The team is only playing one district tournament this season, but Ledford is hoping that he can use the foundation of players he has assembled to compete for years to come.

“We have the best eleven in the league,” Ledford said.

“We using this (the tournament) as a foundation. This year we are only playing one district tournament, but next year we expect these kids to win it all.”

The level of expectation for these teams have been one in the same all around the community, but just like everyone else as well, the AAA Rookie Tournament team also preaches the main set of core values within little league baseball that coaches are hoping to get out of the game.

“Number one is sportsmanship,” Ledford said.

“Teambuilding, and again we’re teaching them sound fundamental baseball and that we want to win”

The AAA Rookie team will be playing their first game Friday at 4:00 against Crenshaw County.

Members of the team are: Davis Allen, Rodarius Christian, Marx Copeland, Avery Ernsberger, Ryan Ledford, Scott Renfroe, John Sanders, Jackson Senn, Levi Sikes, Walker Stallworth, and John David Taylor.