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Miracle League of Western KY

“Every child deserves a chance to play baseball.” That’s the motto of the national non-profit organization The Miracle League. Unfortunately, due to physical or cognitive restrictions, not every child gets that chance. But here in Western Kentucky, that’s about to change. Britney Hargrove and her team at the Marshall County Parks Department have established a chapter of The Miracle League here in Western Kentucky and she hopes next summer every child and adult with disabilities in our area will get this chance. The Miracle League provides children and adults with disabilities the ability to play baseball by providing facilities and other supports specifically for them. The organization currently has over 300 chapters across the country and serves over 200,000 children and young adults with disabilities.  

Britney says this was her first priority when she took the job as Director of the Marshall County Parks Department in 2019. “So often, we take existing facilities and just make them work for those with special needs. I wanted our department to build something specifically for their needs from start to finish. To give these amazing individuals a facility they could be proud of.” So far, they have fundraised over $500,000 for the field, which is currently under construction. They’re also going through a grant process to build the second phase of The Miracle League’s facilities, which will include restrooms, concession stands, and storm shelters that are all handicap accessible, and the third phase will be to build a totally inclusive playground to go with the field. Britney hopes the field will be done before next summer. The field is composed of a poured, cushioned, rubber surface that is flat to prevent injuries. The bases and pitcher’s mound are poured into the rubber so children and adults in wheelchairs or other assistive devices can easily maneuver around the field, and the dugouts are wheelchair accessible also. Each player is assigned a buddy that helps them with whatever their needs may be, whether it be catching the ball, swinging the bat, or any other skills needed to play baseball. This buddy model is designed to bring children and adults, with and without disabilities, together to create relationships that extend beyond the baseball field.  

She says the biggest challenge so far has been getting the word out about the program and helping people understand that even though The Miracle League of Western Kentucky field will be housed at Mike Miller Park in Marshall County, this league is not just for residents of Marshall County, it’s for all people in Western Kentucky. She hopes the league will one day be big enough to have several different teams, one from each surrounding county. Getting the league up and running will take lots of community support, from players, to coaches, to buddies on the field. If you know someone who would be interested in playing in The Miracle League of Western Kentucky, you can visit their Facebook page and look for the post they made on September 1st. There’s a link to a Google form that can be filled out for potential players. Once they find out how many players they’ll have, they will be recruiting for coaches and buddies (which can also be high school students). You can also visit marshallcountyparks.org to stay up to date with the progress of the league. If you’d like to donate to the fundraising campaign, you can text MIRACLEKY to 44321, and information will be sent directly to your phone. What a wonderful way to bring our community together. Take me out to the ballgame!  

IN THE VUE

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