"We get going [this week]," Lady Wildcats coach Colman Roberts said. "We'll start with these couple days in the play day and then next week we'll go to Twin Creeks for four days. ... We kind of get started [today].
"[We] get to look at some young kids that we haven't seen at the varsity level against good competition."
Playing alongside Woodland in the play day will be fellow Bartow County team Cass as well as four other area schools, including Rockmart.
"We got a lot of different people [attending]. Armuchee is coming this year, and Sprayberry. I don't think Rome came [last year] either," Roberts said. "It's just people that I've talked to on a daily basis. ... We're good friends. They all got good teams."
A difference at this year's games includes something commonplace during the regular season.
"We have umpires this year, so that's actually a change from last year," said Roberts of the umpires, who will be going through a camp themselves during the two days.
Six games each will be played today and Thursday, with the first game starting as early as 10 a.m.
"We hope the weather will be nice," Roberts said.
Woodland and Rockmart open play today at 10 a.m., with Rockmart and Cass playing another game at 11:50 a.m. The two Bartow teams then face each other at 1:40 p.m.
On Thursday, Rockmart and Woodland again play at 10 a.m. Cass or Rockmart plays Rome at 1:40 p.m., and the Lady Colonels would play Armuchee at 3:30 p.m. Armuchee-Woodland and Woodland-Cass wrap up the two-day play day with 5:10 and 6:50 p.m. games.
The Lady Wildcats head to JJ Biello Park in Woodstock Monday for a tournament at the Twin Creeks Softball Complex. Roberts said Woodland will take two teams to that tournament.
In July, a team camp at Emory University will be the chief item on the Lady Wildcats' agenda.
Roberts would like to do more, but knows his team needs a breather every once in a while.
"Of course, our kids, they play travel ball," he said. "They work hard. I like doing some things with 'em ... but with the travel ball [schedule] and the Little League, they play so many games. [I] try to give 'em a break."
Below is the full slate of games for Woodland's play day event.
Today Thursday
10 a.m. Rockmart-Woodland Rockmart-Woodland
11:50 a.m. Rockmart-Cass Rockmart-Rome
1:40 p.m. Cass-Woodland Cass or Rockmart-Rome
3:20 p.m. Sprayberry-Rome 3:30 p.m., Armuchee-Cass
5:10 p.m. Rome-Armuchee Armuchee-Woodland
6:50 p.m. Sprayberry-Armuchee Woodland-Cass