Miracle League.

[ANNASDAD]

Anna’s college team worked the Miracle League in Spartanburg, SC yesterday. This is her 3rd Miracle League she’s done. Her first one was in 16U, I remember just how nervous she was that Saturday morning on the drive there, I told her to just be herself. I swear her smile is just a little bigger and brighter every time she’s there! It seems these kids gravitate to her and I’m proud at the love and attention she shows them!

If you parents and your daughters have never done it before, I can’t recommend it enough! It brings everything into perspective, and I’ll promise you that your DD will thank you on the drive home, very eye opening for them!

 

[ANNASDAD]

I just found several more pics from 2+ years ago. I got to pitch one year, I hated it when it ended, it was the best time! Absolutely made me feel very blessed, and I reflected on it for a long time........but nowhere near as long as these parents do!

 

[canyonjoe]

You must be so proud. What a great kid!!!

 

[OsDad]

We have something like that here called Courage League. There is nothing that will remind you more, about what the love of the game really is, than being around those kids.

 

[ANNASDAD]

You must be so proud. What a great kid!!!

Thank you Joe, I am!

 

[ANNASDAD]

Me and Anna’s first time doing ML was a team bonding day instead of our normal Saturday practice. I wasn’t nervous like Anna, But I had no idea what to expect.

There were 3 games that day, every kid (and there were adults playing also), so everyone who batted, they scored, didn’t matter if they were in a wheelchair, a walker, or even being carried, if it took 5 minutes to round the bases, that’s what it took! The energy is crazy, everyone outside the baselines are loosing their minds, and these kids are eating it up! Every game ends in a tie!

I have to mention something about those two twins pictured above, they played in the last game that day. As I said, my first time there and I’d never seen them before. These two guys are absolute Rock Stars in this league, you just had to see the number of people there to see them.

One of them while lined up on the baseline was just chomping at the bits to get the directors attention, he finally acknowledged him and just said “go ahead”. That guy sprinted to the pitchers mound, told everyone to remove their hat and said a prayer that literally buckled my knees! To this day it is one of the most incredible things I’ve ever witnessed, what a moment! And both of these young men smoked the ball, one of them while in the box did a Babe Ruth, took his bat and pointed to the fence, and then one hopped the ball over the fence and into the woods, it was very cool, he owned that moment!

I know this is long, but the young man who was announcing the games was incredible also, I have no doubt this guy could have been one of the announcers for Fox and called the WS game last night!

Me and two other dads were standing together and this guy comes up to us and said I need some help, those other two goobers took two steps back guess that’d be me!

He had me sit with him and all the sound equipment and my job was to play the kids personal walk up song after he announced their name, I screwed it up a few times but finally got the hang of it.

Guys, this young man was amazing! He knew every kids name, their parents name, their siblings name.......he was talking about the kid who was rounding 2B after the batter made contact, and the kid on deck, and the kid scoring from 3B all at the same time with the most enthusiasm I’ve ever heard, this guy was born for this! Those two goobers I was talking about stood behind us, the look on their faces were priceless, they kept whispering to me “this guy is awesome!”

I asked him how he got involved, he said after college he went to work for a communication company in Charlotte, but EVERY Saturday he was here to watch his sister play.......and one day the guy who normally announced wasn’t there and they asked him to fill in, and he’s been doing it ever since. Then he put his hand on my shoulder and said “kinda like you are today my friend!”

The coolest part of that first time was having Anna say “thank you dad for bringing me today, that was awesome!” And then listening to her call and talk to my wife and tell her all about it, and then tell her I love you with a different tone in her voice!

 

[bmakj]

gettin dusty in her

 

[denise_anngolf]

Thank you for sharing this! Your post made me a bit teary eyed. I sense the emotion through your words! I had no idea this network existed and it looks like we have a league very close to where I live. I am definitely going to look into this for my kids.

 

[ANNASDAD]

Thank you for sharing this! Your post made me a bit teary eyed. I sense the emotion through your words! I had no idea this network existed and it looks like we have a league very close to where I live. I am definitely going to look into this for my kids.

I promise you won't regret it, in fact you will love it, figure out a way to get your kids actually involved in the game itself. The coolest (actually funny) thing was watching some of the older guys, and there was some in their late twenty's and thirty's. But watching them get one of our players and just hold their hand.......and not let go for nothing!

That day every person playing, kid or adult are 100% dependent on either their parent or a special home they're in, so them seeing a beautiful girl that was pretty much assigned just to them, they latched on and didn't let go!

And that particular 16U team was a team full of very pretty girls! And funny also was the mom's teasing and laughing with their kids saying "you got you a pretty girl there don't you?" Seeing my girls blush and the one who was attached to her just loosing it with the biggest laughs and smiles!

Eye opening doesn't even begin to describe it! Some of the one's there are downright heartbreaking!

I have healthy kids.......healthy spoiled kids! I'm never around this type of environment, you sometimes get a sense that everyone in your circles are just like you. This is a swift kick in the butt to wake you up and show you how fortunate we all are!

 

[murphdog]

Our high school has a Unified sports program for soccer and basketball. It's such a great experience for everyone involved.
DD was involved in the soccer part all through high school and loved it and made some great friends.
I think ever normal healthy kid should be involved in a program like this and Miracle League