With registration for Bainbridge Leisure Services Department youth baseball and softball programs underway, we urge parents and fans to let the kids have fun and not put a lot of undue pressure on them.

Allow the volunteer coaches to teach the young boys and girls fundamentals of the games of baseball and softball, and let them execute the plays to the best of their ability.

Bainbridge Leisure Services Department Director Al Kelley and his Program Director Diane Atkinson both love and care deeply about the children in their youth programs.

We often read or hear about other towns around our great nation where activities in their youth sports programs are not as calm as ours.

You have youth sports programs to teach kids sportsmanship, but unfortunately, in many places parents holler at umpires, coaches and kids, and generally disrupt the competition.

Fortunately, that does not happen here. If it ever did, Kelley and Atkinson would quickly break it up. The kids and their enjoyment and safety are their No. 1 priority.

In the not too distant future, Bainbridge Mayor Edward Reynolds will throw out the ceremonial first baseball and softball pitches with city council members looking on to officially begin the youth baseball and softball seasons.

That is always an event filled with great anticipation, fun and excitement for the kids, the parents and the volunteer coaches.

We urge parents to sign up their children for this year’s city youth baseball and softball programs. The boys and girls will have fun, while learning the importance of sportsmanship, team work and many other positive attributes that will be helpful to them both now and as they grow older.

Fix it

Our new feature, “Please, fix it,” is our way of calling attention to a public area or item that takes away from our county or city in some small way.

It’s not to embarrass.

In fact, if the problem is fixed, we would love to applaud those who fixed it with a “thank you”—a follow-up picture of the area fixed up and recognition of a problem being addressed. There are probably little things out there that officials responsible for them may not be aware of, but a citizen’s eye would be appreciated if pointed out.

These little things all add up to adding or detracting from Decatur County’s and Bainbridge’s “curb appeal.”

Want something fixed? Let us know.