The Selma Parks and Recreation department has started registration for the 2019 baseball and softball leagues.

Registration will take place Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. in the Parks and Recreation office at Memorial Stadium, located at 108 West Dallas Avenue. Registration will end on March 8.

Interim Parks and Recreation Director Terry Jackson said registration is a month behind because of the city-wide layoffs that began on Nov. 5, 2018. Eleven Parks and Recreation employees were among the 68 employees who got laid off.

“We’re late with registration,” Jackson said. “We’re supposed to have been started with registration. The layoffs had something to do with that.”

Jackson said city officials told him to open up registration for the season, which is scheduled to start the second week of April.

“They told us to go on and get started with the softball and baseball seasons,” Jackson said.

Jackson said an estimated 600 teenagers participate each year in softball and baseball leagues. He also said baseball accounts for 400 teenagers competing in the leagues.

Jackson said participation at last weekend’s Adrian Holloway Baseball camp was an encouraging sign. Over 30 teenagers participated.

Girls’ softball is for ages 5 through 16. Boys’ baseball is ages 5 through 19.

Parents will need to provide a birth certificate, or another form of I.D. with proof of age along with the mandatory $10 registration fee.