Take Me Out to the Ballgame

If you want to see:

One...Two...Three strikes...you're OUT...

A shut out game...

Stolen bases...

Deep fly balls caught in centerfield...

Fireworks for homeruns...

A retractible roof...

The wave...(yes, this still happens!)...

Sausage races...

People dancing the polka to "Roll out the Barrel"...

The chance to catch a foul ball...

Super exciting come-backs AND gut-wrenching losses...

Then you should probably head to a Brewers game.  And please don't get me wrong...I'm a Brewer fan through and through...love the game, love the ambience, love that it's a chance to get a date night in...BUT...
three years ago, my eyes were opened to a new kind of baseball...The Miracle League.

Three years ago, Matthew was in 4K and had support from his Early Childhood Team.  It was spring and lots of flyers were coming home letting parents know about summer opportunities.  To be honest, most of the them ended up in the recycling bin.  For one, most of them just wouldn't be feasible for Matthew to participate in independently. Secondly, when you schedule 5 hours of ABA therapy a day, plus squeezing in a nap and two sessions of Speech and Language - (if you missed reading about how I got summer Speech and Language you can read about it here: Mama Bear...GRRR... ), there just wasn't enough time or energy. I wanted there to be time for him to just be a kid too!  But this one flyer caught my eye...it was for the Miracle League.  It sounded perfect!  To quote the Miracle League of Milwaukee website:  The Miracle League believes everyone deserves the chance to play baseball. The league allows all children to play organized baseball, regardless of ability. Kids with special-needs dress in uniforms, make plays in the field and round the bases, just like their peers in standard little leagues.

If you read some of my other blog posts like (Mr. Bossypants and Whatever it Takes), you'll know that I like to write in lists.  I see Top Ten Lists all over social media...so people must like reading them too!

Top Ten Reasons a Miracle League Game is Better Than a Brewer Game

10.  The game is only two innings long, which ends up being about 1-1 1/2 hours long. Let's face it, with time to park or catch a shuttle, you are looking at more like 4 hours for a Brewers game.  If you tailgate, add a few more hours.  And what if the game goes into extra innings?

9.  The game is totally FREE.  There is a real scoreboard, popular music playing, and an entertaining announcer calling the player's names and the plays.  How often can you get all of those things and more for FREE?  Extra bonus...if you have a pre-teen or a teen you can embarrass them by seat dancing to the music. 

8.  The concessions are much cheaper.  Yes..there are concessions!  You can get hot dogs, popcorn, candy,  water, Gatorade, etc.  for very reasonable prices (typically $1 to $2).  

7.  There is an accessible field.  The field is made out of a special rubberized material that allows for kids in wheelchairs to play.  The softer material helps prevent injuries if the players do fall or slide into the base!

6.  There is an accessible playground to burn off energy before or after the game.  There is a really cool part of the playground that allows kids in wheelchairs to experience what it feels like to swing.  

5.  Every player has a buddy.  The buddies do every aspect of the game with their assigned player.  They go up to bat with them and help them get positioned to either hit off the tee or hit from a pitch.  After the player hits the ball, the buddy runs the bases with them.  The buddy sits in the dugout with them and when the innings switch they go out to the field with them.  

4.  You get to see kids play baseball who might not otherwise be able to play.  Every kid has a different reason that the Miracle League helps them be able to play.  For Matthew, having a buddy makes all the difference in the world.  Matthew is a "runner" and so having a buddy helps keep him safe and focused on the game.  He has had the same buddy two years in a row now, so they have really formed a bond.  She knows just what to say to motivate him to do the right thing (i.e. not lay down on the field or take his shoes off).  

3.  You can expect the "unexpected", but for sure you can expect to laugh!  Last year we had a pitcher, who would erupt into somersaults.  Last night there was a boy who was running around during the national anthem, but then didn't want to run when it was time to go to first base.  Most games Matthew wears a batting helmet in the outfield!  

2.  Everybody in the audience cheers for EVERY player.  I mean EVERY player...it doesn't matter what team your kid is on.  It is hard to describe in words how cool it is to see the shared encouragement and claps as everyone goes up to bat and as they go back to home plate (EVERY inning EVERY player makes it back to home plate).  Even though there is a scoreboard, there are not outs and the games are often tied. 

1.  You get to see some of the biggest, best smiles.  Everywhere.  From the players to the buddies to the fans in the stands!  The players are so excited when they hit the ball. You can see their pride when they take off for first base or if they get to throw the ball.  

Because Matthew is in his third season with the Miracle League we have the added bonus of being able to see the progress he has made over the years.  Some things are starting to come along because of maturity, but he's also starting to understand the game.  All of the following things I am going to mention are things he now does with help from his buddy: He stays by his buddy instead of trying to run all over the field during the game. He gallops to first base instead of asking to get picked up and carried. He stands, with his cap off for the national anthem.  He stays in his own dugout.  He only wears one glove out to the field instead of one on each hand.  The list could go on and on...but I will end with what happened last night!  Over the last few games they have been encouraging the players to try hitting from a pitch instead of the tee.  Both Rob and I were thinking, "Well, maybe next year he'll be ready to try that."  The next thing we knew, there was Matthew without a tee...and he hit it on the third pitch!