The Demopolis Dixie Youth Softball League held its tryouts at the Demopolis Sports-Plex on Saturday.

Players from 7 to 12 years old turned out to show their skills in fielding, throwing, running and pitching to league coaches, who held drafts following the tryouts to determine the teams that the players would play on. Tryouts were not held for the 4-6-year-olds’ Sweeties T-ball League or the 13-15-year-olds’ Belles League.

In all, 41 players tried out for the 7-8-year-olds’ Darlings League, 61 players tried out for the 9-10-year-olds’ Angels League and 51 players tried out for the 11-12-year-olds’ Ponytails League.

“There are going to be three 7-8-year-olds’ teams, five 9-10-year-olds’ teams and four 11-12-year-olds’ teams,” said Gary Brown, a board member and a 9-10-year-olds’ League coach.

“We had a very good turnout this year. We had very good weather for this year’s tryouts, especially compared to last year.”

Brown said the backbone of any youth league is the volunteers who work with the players and the sponsors who make having teams possible.

“We have plenty of sponsors and plenty of coaches this year,” Brown said. “We are in a good position.”

The schedules for this year’s softball leagues will be released soon.