The Miracle League of the
The mission of the League: "every child deserves the chance to play baseball".
There is a large population of children in the
The League’s volunteer organization will engage approx. 15 adults as board and committee members, fundraisers, coordinators – many of whom will be relatives of children in the League, forming new friendships and outlets for supporting and enjoying their children’s participation. The League will develop at least 16 team and season sponsors from area organizations and businesses (just like any other youth sports league). The sponsors will develop a pride and attachment to their team, and will help their employees and customers better understand the capacities of the Miracle League players.
This is a community league and hundreds of volunteers will be needed to make the league successful. These opportunities will include, but not limited to: buddies (only need to be 12 years old), umpires, announcers, coaches, asst. coaches, etc. Many of these volunteers will be people from the community who may not have had previous experience working with children with disabilities. The “buddy” role provides a meaningful way to help a child, but also to develop knowledge, understanding and friendship – and will be a life-enriching experience for the volunteer.
Each Miracle League player is paired with a buddy, who accompanies the child and assists them in whatever way necessary to hit, round the bases and field, all the while having fun and developing a season-long relationship. Local volunteers familiar with Special Olympics note that the non-competitive nature of Miracle League play and the opportunity to engage children as young as 4 will differentiate the Miracle League from Special Olympics, giving children and families another option for sports involvement.
The Miracle League is like other youth leagues when it comes to uniforms, volunteer coaches and team coordinators, team sponsorships, team photos and trophies.