Troup 12u Nationals prepares for DYB World Series in Louisiana – LaGrange Daily News

The Troup 12u Nationals will be known as Team Georgia. Next month, the Nationals will represent Troup and the entire Peach State at the Major Dixie Youth Baseball World Series in Louisiana.

“Not only are the kids super excited, but the parents and I are too,” said Russell Yeatman, head coach of the Georgia team. “I was never there when I played for Parks and Recreation, so everyone is really excited to have this opportunity.”

Troup finished second to Dublin in the Dixie Youth Baseball State Championship, narrowly losing the championship game 2-0.

“It was only a two-point game and that’s really upsetting because we thought we could win the game, but that’s how it goes sometimes,” Yeatman said. “The players didn’t know we would be representing the state if we finished second as well, but I felt like we were the better team in the game.”

Training for the World Series has already begun. The boys are focused and want to go far.

“We know we can expect the very best because they know they’re going to be playing the best teams from every state in the Southeast,” Yeatman said. “Every team we play is going to be a quality team. I mean, we played Alabama in our first game and we don’t know anything about them. It’s just going to be one of those games, as we’ll find out when we get there.”

It consists of the players Ezra Cook, Carson Atkinson, Carter Harrill, Colton Shelnutt, AJ Griffith, Ben Lupien, Ben Sells, Chipper Yeatman, Peyton Spears, Wilson Stroud, Grady Smallwood and Kaleb Favors as well as three coaches (Rusty Cook, Justin Shelnutt and Yeatman).

The players are not strangers, most of them have been teammates before in some other form or shape.

“It’s just a tight-knit group. I mean, most of them have either played together, whether it was in middle school, travel or recreational soccer, they’ve grown up together for who knows how many years,” Yeatman said. “That’s definitely something. It’s definitely nice to have that continuity, I can promise you that.”

Three players and one coach (Cook) were part of a Troup County Parks and Rec team that traveled to Louisiana for the World Series last year. But for most players, coaches and parents, this will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“That’s the only thing they’ve talked about for the last few weeks,” Yeatman said. “They’re super excited. And the longer we play, the longer they’re out of school. So that’s kind of an incentive for them. For most of them, this is just a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I mean, only three of these kids get to play recreational ball again next year because most of them are too old for that.”

The team is currently raising money for the trip. For more information on donation options, call 706-957-3066 or [email protected]. All donations can be sent to the team’s Venmo at TroupNational12u.

Team Georgia will head to Louisiana on August 1st.