• 32°
franklin county times

Sign up now for youth rec sports through March 1

Russellville youth sports for children ages 612 will soon be in full swing in the community. Registration is underway through March 1 for softball, baseball and track and field.

All travel will be local. Cost of registration for each sport is $50.

For baseball, boys ages 5-12 can register. Age control date is April 30.

Softball is open to girls ages 5-12, with Jan. 1 as the age control date.

Track and field is open to both boys and girls, ages 7-14, with Dec. 31 as the age control date.

“Track and field is brand new this year,” explained Russellville Parks and Rec manager Donnie Flanagan. “We’ve had a lot of interest in it already. We’ll have three meets: One we’ll host, and the other two will probably be in the Shoals area.”

Flanagan said baseball was previously a parent-run program; this year the program is being run by the Parks and Rec department.

While evaluations will be held to assess the skills of each child, they will not determine eligibility to play. “Everybody that wants to play will be able to play and be on the team,” Flanagan said. “The only reason I would ever refuse a kid would be a discipline issue.”

Making it possible for children to play sports on a team is a passion Flanagan said is near to his heart, having played high school baseball, football and basketball himself. He has also coached baseball and basketball, as well as a little softball.

This year Flanagan will be coaching 8U baseball.

“You learn to win and lose and how to work with different people,” he explained. “Playing sports on a team teaches kids discipline, as well as how to work with others and make friends besides those they already have – people they might not have ever met otherwise.”

Flanagan said children can make lifelong friends as a result of spending that time together on a team.

“It’s a good way to get a kid off the couch and put a phone or computer or game system down and get outside and be active, get some exercise and try something new,” he added, remarking it’s “good to get them out of their comfort zones.”

For questions or to register, call 256-332-8770 or go by the Ralph C. Bishop Community Center at 201 Ash Ave., in Russellville.

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: VFW Post 5184 – ‘No One Does More For Veterans’

Features

Supporting students’ futures

Features

Red Bay Garden Club discusses amaryllis planting

Franklin County

UA announces local students for fall 2023 President’s, Dean’s, graduation lists

News

School news

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Troy Oliver

Franklin County

Appropriations bill passes, allots more than $3 million for new Russellville library/multipurpose center 

Franklin County

Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association names Cattleman of the Year 

Franklin County

Franklin County votes: Unofficial March 5 primary election results 

Franklin County

Funding for new Russellville library, multipurpose community center expected this week

Features

Faces of Franklin County: BTCPA

News

GFWC Russellville Book Lovers Club sponsors downtown art crawl

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Cody Bragwell

Franklin County

42nd annual Miss RHS pageant names winners 

News

Miss RHS pageant takes place Friday

Franklin County

Political announcement: David Hester speaks about run for reelection as county commissioner

Franklin County

BTCPA auditions for final production of season take place March 3-4 

Franklin County

RCS holds annual Black History Month program 

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: American Legion Posts 64 and 120 – ‘Veterans Strengthening America’

Franklin County

RHS graduate crowned Miss Northwest Shoals

Franklin County

RHS graduate crowned Miss UNA

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: In memoriam – Monuments honor the fallen of Franklin

High School Sports

RHS senior chosen as Bryant-Jordan Region 8 Scholar winner

High School Sports

Russellville High School ladies soccer team members participate in annual Night to Shine

x