The Vicksburg Girls Softball Association kicked off its 2018 season Saturday with a little pomp, a little circumstance, and one big change in direction.

Saturday’s opening ceremonies marked the beginning of the VGSA’s affiliation with Little League International. The league switched from the American Softball Association during the offseason with an eye toward the future and giving players more opportunities for its players, VGSA president Mike Foley said.

The Vicksburg Warren Athletic Association’s baseball league is also joining Little League after being affiliated with Cal Ripken Baseball for nearly 20 years.

“We’re happy to be the first chartered girls softball Little League in the state of Mississippi,” Foley said. “The biggest benefit for our girls in Vicksburg is that no other softball organization was giving our girls all-star tournament opportunities. In 2018 we are sending a 12-year-olds’ all-star team to Waco, Texas, for the regional. We’re sending a 14-year-olds’ all-star team to Albuquerque, New Mexico. And we have an opportunity, if we can get enough players, to send a 16-year-olds’ team to the regional in Vidalia, Louisiana.”

The VGSA is the only youth softball league in Mississippi that is currently affiliated with Little League. Most leagues are sanctioned by USA Softball or the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA), which are geared more toward tournament and travel teams that are open to players from all areas.

Little League focuses more on individual leagues and recreational programs. The all-star teams that compete at Little League state and regional tournaments are comprised entirely of players from local leagues.

The VGSA’s players are still allowed to play on travel teams and participate in tournaments sanctioned by other organizations. For example, the Mississippi Blaze 12-and-under travel team is hosting a 31-team Fastpitch America Softball Association tournament on March 31.

For the Little League all-star tournaments, however, the VGSA’s teams are limited to players from a specific geographical area defined by Little League International.

“We have a defined turf of Warren County, and anyone who goes to a Warren County school,” Foley said. “Any kids from other areas that are here are grandfathered in for as long as they stay in the league. I think we have one player from Tallulah, but she goes to Porter’s Chapel (Academy) so she’s OK.”

Foley said enrollment in the VGSA’s programs had reached a point where giving its best players the opportunity to represent the city on a regional and possibly national level was an appealing option.

“Girls softball is up and coming. We think it’ll continue to be that way,” Foley said. “Our kid count is up for the third straight year. A few years ago, we had 280 with our high school kids included. Now we have 240 and virtually no high school kids. We have 66 10-and-under kids and that’s phenomenal because that’s when they really decide if they like the game and want to stick with it.”

Besides competition, Foley added that the more regimented structure of Little League International provided benefits that the more loosely affiliated organizations do not. Behind the scenes items like background checks for coaches and volunteers, and safety training are easier to do under the Little League umbrella and pay dividends for all involved, he said.

“I’m blown away by how good Little League is. But you have to do your stuff right. They require a lot more paperwork. Little League is the most transparent league out there as far as organization goes,” Foley said. “The money was the same. We have more value for our kids at the same amount of money.”