A Challenger Game

Michael played on the Challenger Baseball Team every year. He loved it! I’ve written about it quite a few times for the blog and you can find those posts by using the search function on the website.

In all my posts, I don’t think I have described the beauty of a Challenger Baseball game. A team from another town comes with kids of all ages and abilities. Each batter gets whatever they need to participate: a tee, a gentle pitch, or assistance from a buddy. Every hit is cheered by everyone, on both teams. No one keeps score. Every batter on the team gets to bat. The game moves slowly and no one is in a rush.

Kids who may struggle to make friends in other places wear their jersey showing everyone that they are part of the team.  They sit in the dugout with their pals. They laugh and play.

The first time I saw a game, I cried tears of joy.  Because, although it is called Challenger Baseball, it felt just the opposite. It felt like a space free of the challenge of trying to fit into a world not built for my little buddy. It felt like Relax and Enjoy Baseball.

It felt like the baseball field was giving us respite from the neurotypical world.  What a joy!