As March approaches, so to does the return of fan-favorite sport here in Troy.

Even though recreation baseball is still about a month away from starting, the players are already lacing up their cleats and greasing up their gloves.

This past Thursday and Friday, the league’s tryouts were held at Franklin Fields, officially getting the season underway.

However, there was a twist to the tryout process this year.

The tryouts consisted of players participating in different activities like fielding and hitting in front of several different coaches.

Each kid would receive a certain amount points by each coach for how they did during the tryouts.

This point system is put into a computer, which would then create the different teams off of the different points the players received – each being as equal as possible according to the points of each of the players. By Monday night, Feb. 22, the teams will have been picked out and ready to play.

“This is the first year we have tried something like this, but we feel that it will really level the playing field, talent wise, all across the league,” Troy Parks and Recreation youth sports director David Dickey said. Several other Alabama cities, including Dothan and Birmingham use this system as well, according to Dickey.

“One of the main reasons we are doing this is for the kids,” Dickey said.

“We want the kids to have fun and enjoy themselves out on the field. In year’s past, there were some teams that were much better than others.

“With this system, the kids know they stand a chance against every team in the league,” he added.

So far, there has been a fairly positive response to the new system,” according to Dickey.

“Whenever you try something new, there are always going to be mix reviews,” he said. “But this is something that we feel will work and have a positive effect on the league.”

Over 200 kids between the four different age groups showed up on Thursday and Friday to be a part of the tryout process.

“The new system hasn’t effect the number of turnouts at all,” Dickey said. “We have had a great turnout.”