Troy’s Dixie Boys team is ready for practice to slow down and games to crank up.

“It get a little monotonous when you have a period of time before your tournament starts,” head coach Lin Roberts said.

We have to keep working on things that make us better and practice the way we plan on playing once the games begin.”

Troy will host the Dixie Boys District Tournament, which is set to begin on July 5.

“There is a lot of talent on this team,” Roberts said. “If we play the way we are supposed to, we’ll have a shot at doing something.”

As 13-year-olds, this group won Distrcit and advanced to the Dixie Junior Boys State Tournament before being ousted.

A new year brings new opportunities.

“They have another shot to advance to the World Series,” said Roberts. “I think we have 12 players capable of getting there.”

Roberts said the strength of this year’s team should be its deep pitching staff.

“We have several guys we can call on that can come in and get the job done,” he said. “That’s what we’re banking on.”

Members of the Troy Dixie Boys team are: Hunter Blackmon, Samuel Bland, Blake Childs, Marquese Christian, Jerrell Lawson, Eric Lee, Cole Roberts, Kiegan Simmons, Drew Starling, Morgan Sullivant, Curtis Thomas, Ty Witherington.