The AA Rookie team led by head coach Bobby Templin is ready to make noise at the Enterprise district tournament.

“We are very excited about it,” Templin said. “We have been practicing really hard and they are excited about being on the tournament team and representing Troy. We are ready to get to Enterprise and see what we can do. This is a great group of guys who have worked hard and they have a great attitude.”

Templin has been coaching for seven years and said he finds great joy in coaching the players.

“I love being around and love being around the players,” Templin said. “It’s a great chance to interact with them and to get to know them and their parents.”

In a league where offense is vital if you want to success, Templin believes his team’s best asset is swinging the bats.

“We are probably going to be more of an offensive team,” Templin said. “Our defense has gotten better. We have struggled at times with it, but we are improving. We are hoping to have a good mixture this weekend.”

The challenge is getting acclimated to new teammates, ones they may have played against during the regular season.

“That’s the challenge because they were all on different teams,” Templin said. “Getting to know new and different people has been exciting. We are trying to get them to interact and be one team and they have done well with that. They are all extremely excited about this weekend. They are probably tired of practicing right now. I think they are ready for Thursday.”

The Rookies begin their tournament on Thursday. Other teams include will Enterprise Americans, Greenville and Eufaula.

“We are going to have to hit the ball and make good decisions in the field, as far as making good decisions on where to throw the ball and when to throw the ball,” Templin said. “All of those things are going to important if we want to do well.”

The members of the 2016 AA Rookies are: Trenton Bryan, Conner Davidson, Charlie Fountain, Joshua James Gardiner, Coleman Garrott, Cornelious Griffin, Robert Lindsey, Jackson Redmon, Will Templin, Jaxon Wade, Will Watkins and Damien Williams.

Troy faces Eufaula at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Enterprise Recreation Complex.