The Andalusia Department of Leisure Services is sending out an open call to all local girls softball players who would like a chance at a spot on the 2011 Babe Ruth 12U Softball World Series “home team.”

It was annou-nced in 2008 that Andalusia would play host to the World Series competition. Set for August 2011 at the Andalusia Sports Complex, there will be 12 teams – including the local “home team” – from all regions of the United States competing for the title.

Wednesday, Barbara Tyler, Andalusia’s youth sports coordinator, said now is the time to make preparations to roster that home team.

“During the last several months, there have been discussions with the leaders of softball programs operating in Covington County about how to put the most competitive team on the field,” Tyler said. “We think we’ve come up with a way to do that.”

Potential players must have been born in 1998 or 1999 and are now attending school in the Covington County area. Interested players are invited to a ballpark lunch and meeting at the Andalusia Sports Complex from noon until 2 p.m. this Saturday, Sept. 18. Players need to be dressed to practice, and parents are also invited and encouraged to attend. The coach of the new World Series team has been selected and will also be announced Saturday, Tyler said.

“Now, the girls who attend Saturday must commit to playing the upcoming season in the South Alabama League,” she said. “We’re going to work with those girls, do special developmental activities, have months of practice, exhibition games, clinics and tournament games. We’re going to get our girls ready to play World Series ball.”

At the end of the regular season, the coach will select the 15-person World Series team from the entire pool of eligible 11 and 12 year olds.

Tyler said the leaders of the local softball programs said the process will have a three-fold benefit.

“First, it’s the best way to recognize these girls and their abilities,” Tyler said. “Secondly, each individual recreational program is going to get the added benefit of the extra work all of these girls will have to put in. It will make their team a better team; and lastly, it might encourage more girls to try out for their junior varsity team, which in turn, will build more programs.”

For more information, contact Barbara Tyler at 334-428-2106 or by e-mail at barbara.tyler@cityofandalusia.com or one’s respective league representative.

This will be the second time for Andalusia to host a Babe Ruth World Series event.

In August 2007, teams from all around the country converged at the Lurleen B. Wallace Community College baseball field to play in the 13-15 Babe Ruth World Series.