By By BRUCE HIXON – Sports Editor
Love for his children helped lure Richard Royce into East Brewton youth league sports. His love for baseball has helped keep him there.
While many youth league coaches depart the moment their children do, Royce has remained a visible part of East Brewton Little League. In fact, Royce has the longest current active coaching tenure with 13 years of service.
Royce has seen several significant changes in East Brewton Little League baseball during his tenure. When Royce first got involved, there were not enough kids involved to split players into the customary age 9-10 and 11-12 divisions. Instead everybody was grouped together.
Probably the most significant item that Royce has experienced in his Little League tenure
came last spring when R.T. Johnson Park opened in East Brewton.
Royce said the establishment of interleague play with Brewton has been good for both leagues.
Royce is currently part of another change in East Brewton Little League, as he is the head coach for the league's first ever all-star team for 11-year-olds.
This will be Royce's 10th year of coaching East Brewton All-Star teams. Royce hopes this year will produce his first district championship.
Royce admits it is tough for teams that represent its all-star district to compete at the next level, which is the state tournament.
One of Royce's few regrets with his involvement in Little League baseball is sometimes parents get too wrapped up in the game.