Traditionally on P.E.I. once kids reach a certain age, boys play baseball and girls play softball — but not anymore.

"There's been a big push across the country to grow girls' baseball," said Randy Byrne, executive director of Baseball PEI.

P.E.I. has now formed a partnership with Canadian Girls Baseball which will create a development league for Island girls from ages four to 15.

'The more the merrier'

"It's just a grassroots introductory to baseball that's all girls. Coaches will all be young women," Byrne said. Girls will learn the fundamentals of baseball and they'll compete, he said.

"It also has an aspect of confidence and self-esteem building, which is very important especially for young girls — we know that they are playing youth sports less and less than ever."

'We know that they are playing youth sports less and less,' says Byrne. (Angela Walker/CBC)

The number of teams on P.E.I. will depend on the number of girls who register for the 2019 season, Byrne said. There will be two locations, one in Charlottetown and one in Summerside, and the league is hoping at least 20 girls will register in each location — enough for two or three teams in each.

"The more the merrier, we'd be really pleased if more came," he said.

P.E.I. will be the fourth branch of the new league in Canada, joining Manitoba, Toronto and Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia has 100 to 150 girls, Byrne said, so he can foresee tournaments with neighbouring provinces, "which would be very exciting."

Enrolment in the league costs $135 and includes all the gear needed to play, according to its Facebook page.

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