By Kevin Eckleberry

Sports Editor

They’re ready to go.

Practice is important, and the players on the Troup County National 11-12 all-star team understand that.

But with the countdown to the Dixie Youth Baseball World Series having grown so short, their impatience is understandable.

The tournament, which features 12 teams from across the South, kicks off Saturday in Laurel, Miss.

The team has chartered a bus that will carry the coaches and players, and they’ll be leaving on Thursday.

“We’re ready for Thursday afternoon to come so we can leave,” said Colby Freeman, the team’s catcher.

Added Jake Howard, an outfielder for Troup who played for the 9-10 World Series team a year ago, “we’re looking forward to it a lot. It’ll be fun.”

Troup will practice today before traveling on Thursday on the chartered bus that was made possible by fund-raising efforts by the team.

Coach Huey Hood said Robert Foster, whose son Jonathan plays on the team, spear-headed the fund-raising effort.

Hood said he wants to make everything special for the players, who have made this such an enjoyable summer.

“This team, they are great kids,” he said. “They play together so well, and I’ve had teams where it wasn’t like that.”

Troup, which breezed through the district and state tournaments without losing a game, took some time off last week after wrapping up the state title.

On Saturday, the players returned to practice, and according to Hood, “we’ve had some real good practices.”

Hood has made sure to let the players know they’re not just representing Troup County, but the whole state.

“I told them you’re state champs, so let’s see a state-championship effort,” he said.