Play Ball

This summer, Crew’s Voice Organization was proud to create the Challenger Crew baseball team for physically and mentally challenged children. We have had three successful games so far. The weather has not been helping much. We have had to cancel one game and then move the times of the games to the morning, when the day is cooler. We have an announcer, music and a hot dog truck for every game.

For a young player in a wheelchair, this season has brought his first time in a little league dugout— what a highlight for him! The irony in all this is that I started this team for my son Crew, who has autism, hates baseball and wants to sit in the car the whole time a game is played. The situation is improving though. It’s just one of those times in which Crew needs to learn to join in and be social. All of the children are buddied up with typical kids around their age. The buddies help in any way needed to assist with each game. From looking at and talking to the buddies, the typical children seem to like the baseball games just as much as the special needs children. And this is one time as a parent when you can look at your child from the bleachers and feel like everyone is the same, or at least the differences do not seem to matter. I feel like we have started the Sand Lot of our town.

“Each day comes bearing it’s own gifts,” says Ruth Ann Schabacker. “Untie the ribbons.”

If anyone is interested in joining the Challenger Crew, please e-mail me at christyzottola@verizon.net.