Meet Ronald and Immanuel ~ brothers and the HEAVY hitters!

 The Challenger division baseball have change my family lives for the better.  I have two sons with autism one with moderate autism one with severe autism. Both boys have been playing with the challenge division for 3 years. This league has allowed my children to participate and develop friendships. The challengers league has allowed my husband and myself to participate
happy children that have the confidence to participate with peers of their own age . The Challenger league has allowed them to enhance their abilities and not their disability. This league also encourage children to be helpful to one another. The buddy system has allowed typical developing children to participate with the the challenges League, which has allowed my husband and myself to relax and cheer for our children the smiles on their faces are priceless .  In conclusion the challenges division has given my children the confidence that they can achieve goals and accomplish the goals they set for themselves.

Quanda ellis Walker

Meet Christian ~ the seasoned player!

I can only hope to enlighten those who read this how being a part of the Vacaville Challenger Little League Division has changed our families life......Our son Christian has been a Baseball Player for 3 seasons now and the joy and excitement that he experiences; and we see is Utter Happiness. No other way to describe it.

 .....You get their diagnosis, your heart drops, and then after a while their challenges becomes triumphs.

......Next thing you know, they're trying to steal 3rd base. Did we really think he wouldn't?

We Love You Michelle Erickson!

 The Evans

Meet Madison ~ Our runner!

I remember the first time that I heard about the Challenger League, it was through a friend on Facebook.  I was so excited to find out that there was a SPORT that my daughter could play.  I made way down to Little League signups…which I have never experienced before.  I walked into the local sports store, where signups take place, and there were tables of people with clip boards, chatting amongst themselves.  Having never done this before, I didn’t even know where to start.  Many questions flooded with emotions raced through my head…Will my daughter REALLY be allowed to play? She hasn’t ever played before, how will she do?  How am I going to help her?  She is a runner…how will they help control her?  She has NO SAFETY skills, how do I keep her safe?....Let’s just say I was full of questions and ANXIETY….UNTIL…..I saw this sweet lady with a big friendly smile welcoming me to her sign up table.  I started with the questions and explaining my daughters disabilities and with her big smile…..she made me feel like it was NO BIG DEAL!  She told me that NO CHILD with disabilities would be turned away, no matter what the situation was.   I have never experienced that before.  EVERY activity that I do with my daughter is calculated and planned, and when she told me I WASN’T allowed to help, I thought she was crazy.  How will that ever work?

It wasn’t until Madison’s  first game that I realized...this is something special…..

Opening day, we wake up and my daughter puts on her uniform…now mind you, she doesn’t speak so she shares her emotions though signing, and visual cues…BUT it was very clear by her swagger of

pride and HUGE beaming smile…she was excited!  SHE WAS A BASEBALL PLAYER and she knew it!  SHE WAS PART OF THE GIANTS!  We headed out to the baseball field and it all began.  Maddy headed to the dugout with her BUDDY…her big sister.  A buddy is someone there to guide you, and show you the ropes….remember, most of the kids have NEVER had the opportunity to play sports before.  Maddy’s buddy was extra special because it was her big sister.  After years of sitting on the sidelines watching her sister play basketball, volleyball and all of the other sports, this was HER time to shine.  She sat in the dugout waiting to play the game.  One by one, the players got up and went out to bat, ran the bases and went out to field after the inning….it was amazing!

As a mother, I cannot begin to express how I felt at the first game.  I watched these children smile…BEAM, like I have never witnessed before.  I watched parents cheer EVERY player on!  I watched bystanders wipe away tears, as the love of baseball and children merged into one big blessing.  Thank goodness I was wearing sun glasses, because I couldn’t hold back my excitement for my daughter, they streamed down my cheek.  Maddy finally had something of her OWN!  SHE LOVES BASEBALL! 

Remember how I told you that she doesn’t talk?  Well, she is learning sign language and her vocabulary isn’t very big yet, but SHE put together the signs and SAID “I LOVE BASEBALL!”. 

We have been blessed finding the  Vacaville Challenger Little League and will be part of this program for as long as they let our crazy family in the gates…LOL.

Proud Mommy of Madison #19

Christa Poe

Still need donations....

Hopefully by now you know a little more about the Vacaville Challenger Little League, as well as, some of our players....BUT we still need your help!

Our little Challenger Team has been invited to the Little League World Series, which has never happened before!  This is a big moment for our program, the families, but most importantly...OUR PLAYERS.  We need to raise a total of about $3,000 and currently we are only about 1/3 of the way there.  WE MUST RAISE the funds by August 3rd.

PLEASE make a donation, by clicking on the donation button on the top right column of this blog.  Any amount will help...$5, $25...$100...it is a tax write off, and some employers will even match your donation, so be sure to ask.

Meet Dezirae ~ Known for her fabulous smile and infamous Hello Kitty Bat!

The 2013 season of Challenger baseball was an incredible experience for my daughter Dezirae and our entire family. My daughter has a laundry list of special needs and with her not walking independently, I was hesitant to sign her up. Thankfully, I decided to go for it!!!  From the first practice to the last game of the season, Dezirae was a part of something huge....A TEAM!

Children with special needs have very little opportunity to experience camaraderie, feeling like an

important part of something exciting. Watching these children... hit the ball, run, throw the ball and cheer each other on was an overwhelmingly heartwarming experience for everyone involved. To see them assisted by their buddies and the connections they built with these ball players was amazing! Dezirae's older brother, Chach, was her buddy for most of the season and I think he had just as much fun if not more fun being a part of this wonderful organization. Our entire family walked away each week with so much more than just a game of baseball....we walked away with happiness in our hearts and pride that our special children were part of a team, just like any other ball player in this country.

 

It's an overwhelmingly uplifting experience that Dezirae will be a part of for many years to come!! When she started the season, she had no idea what baseball was. Today, when the MLB is on TV, she gets excited and watches the game, knowing she is part of the great American sport of Baseball.

A proud mom of Challenger Ball player, Dezirae, Giants #9
Jacquie Menjivar

Meet Caleb ~ uncanny ability to get the crowd going!

Challenger Baseball has been soooo amazing for my Caleb and our family!! 

Our family of 6 LOVES baseball!!  Our oldest plays baseball. Our #3 plays baseball and now our #2 (Caleb) plays baseball!!  We LOVE the GIANTS and watch almost all of the games.  Pablo is Caleb’s “friend” and we always cheer and fist bump when he is up to bat!  3 years ago, we were able to get Caleb on his first ever sports team. The Giants. He was thrilled beyond belief!  HE finally got to play his own sport just like his brothers. For once, he didn’t have to be the one sitting in the stands cheering for his brothers. He was the one being cheered for, and he LOVED every. Single. Minute! J  Caleb is the star of the show!  Every at bat, he waves to the crowd, lifts his hands waiting for applause and does his thing.  Each game is different, based on the previous nights Giants game batting favorite. He would spit, shake his booty, tap his bat on home plate, or point to the field with his bat. It is hilarious. After he hit the ball off that tee, he would run to first base with the BIGGEST smile you could ever see.  I cried every time. Three years later, he is STILL the

crowd favorite and likes to show off his orange Mohawk!  He finally hit a live pitch and earned his In-n-Out Burger!!  He was so proud!  I was prouder!!! Challenger Baseball has been such a blessing to be a part of!  The love these special friends share, is sweet and genuine. I love every single moment!

Mommy ~ Michelle Erickson

World Series Bound!...But not without your help

We are soooo excited to share with all of you that WE have been invited to participate in the 50/70 Little League World Series in Livermore!

 

The game will be August 3rd. Our Challenger League has been asked to bring a team of 13-15 players.  We are so excited to have been given this opportunity....BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP.  We need to raise about $3,000 to help cover the costs such as, uniforms, hats, trading pins, etc...We have tried to fundraise by holding a "dine-n-donate", but we only raised about $80, which just isn't enough.  Without a lot of time to get the word out, we thought this might be the best way to share our cause and let people get involved and support our team directly.

Our Challenger League players ALL have special needs, and most of the players have everyday expenses that come in the form of medication, walkers, leg braces, special equipment, therapies…etc, which is why WE want to raise the money for this event, instead of adding one more cost onto the overflowing plate of expenses facing these families every day.  WE WANT THIS EXPERIENCE to be FUN and EXCITING, and NOT a time of stress and worry.  This is quite possibly a ONCE IN A LIFETIME experience for some of these players.   Help us to make this dream come true. 

Please consider making a donation TODAY.   Simply click on the DONATE button above, or if you would rather donate cash or pay by a check, send us an email or message us on Facebook.  This is an exciting time and we feel so blessed to have so many people supporting our players!

BUT…don’t stop there, keep checking back in to learn a little more about our players.  We will be featuring stories about our players and coaches, in the upcoming days and want to share this journey with ALL of you. 

 

AND.....Check us out on ESPN during the game, it will be televised!

**Feel free to share this information with your friends and family too.  We pride ourselves in the fact that our league has grown, and continues to grow.  If you know someone who has special needs, send us a message.  Let us know your story and how baseball has impacted your life.  If you are in Vacaville or surrounding cities and want to know how to join a team, let us know that as well.

One of the beautiful things about baseball is that every once in a while you come into a situation where you want to, and where you have to, reach down and prove something" ~ Nolan Ryan

 

What is the Challenger League?

What is Challenger Baseball? 

Baseball for children with special needs! It’s AWESOME. It’s Energetic! It’s down-right super fun!  I restarted the Challenger League in Vacaville 3 years after it had been dissolved for 15 years. 

I have a child with Down syndrome who LOVES baseball just like his brothers. I wanted him to be able to participate in this sport in which he could learn and have fun in a positive, non-competitive environment.

The first year, we had 20 children sign up and we had an amazing season full of laughs and tears! Tears of joy as we watched one little person, with cerebral palsy hit the first live pitch.  Tears of joy and awe as we watched that same player walk the bases with his walker.  By the end of the season, he walked the bases unassisted! And tears of pride... as we watched these special children have the time of time of their lives with their Buddies!

You might be asking...what IS a buddy....well, Every game, we use Buddies from the other Little League teams.  These Buddies come out and are used as a role model to the Challengers. Talk about PoSiTiVe PeEr PrEsSuRe...Our challengers adore the buddies! Honestly, I think this league is better for the Buddies than it is for our special children. To this date, we have had over 1,000 buddies! The life lessons of patience and kindness are quickly learned in just one game. 

It truly is heartwarming to watch.  This league has been such a blessing to me as it continues to grow.  We went from 2 teams... to 7 teams in just 3 years! Others cities in our district have joined us and we have had even more fun traveling to games and playing other towns!  The lives that have been touched are too many to count! Every year, these children are getting better! Not only in the sport, but socially and emotionally.  It means so much to see children with Autism who didn’t make much eye contact the first year, come back and have full conversations with me this year. Watching my son hit a live pitch for the first time was priceless!  And watching

the moms sit back and watch their child participate in something they love is the best part!  I love being a part of something so wonderful and so rewarding in so many ways!

Michelle Erickson


PS...Find us on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/VacavilleChallengerLittleLeague