The Bainbridge Leisure Services Department will be hosting three district and two state Georgia Recreation and Parks Association (GRPA) baseball and softball tournaments during June and July at Bill Reynolds Sports Park.

The 12-and-under and 14-and-under boys District 3 Baseball Tournaments will be Monday, June 25, through Saturday, June 30.

The 14-and-under girls District 3 Softball Tournament will be Saturday, June 23, and the 17- and-under girls State Softball Tournament will be Tuesday, June 19, through Saturday, June 23.

The Leisure Services Department will host the State 14-and-under boys Baseball Tournament and the State 14-and-under girls Softball Tournament on Wednesday, July 11, through Saturday, July 14.

Leisure Services program director Diane Atkinson and athletic director Stanley Bell both talked about the local economic impact of the tournaments,

‘The tournaments that we are hosting will bring a lot of kids and families to Bainbridge,” Atkinson said. “They will be staying in our motels and eating in our restaurants.

“They also occasionally bring a celebrity or two to town.

“A couple of years ago when we hosted a tournament that also involved some Florida teams. Florida State University Seminoles head football coach Jimbo Fisher, whose son was playing in the tournament, was here. He graciously signed caps and other items for fans.”

Bell, who recently became the city’s athletic director, said he is also excited about the upcoming tournaments.

“The kids and the fans enjoy our Bill Reynolds Sports Park facility,” he said. “It is a first-class facility and we are proud of it.”