A baseball league that will enable children and adults in western Kentucky and the surrounding region with mental and physical disabilities to safely play the sport is launching after four years of fundraising and construction.
The Miracle League of Western Kentucky will play at the CFSB Field of Dreams, located at Mike Miller Park in Marshall County. Britney Hargrove, the director of the Marshall County Parks Department, has been championing the effort to bring the program to the area.
“When you look at Miracle league facilities, you typically see them in larger cities,” Hargrove said. “We felt like it was important to come together as a more rural area … so that the families of special needs kiddos or adults in our region could have access to those same facilities.”
League play is open to anyone ages 4 to 104, and is not limited to Marshall County residents. Hargrove said families from as far afield as Bowling Green have expressed interest in participating, and she expects people from neighboring counties and states to register.
At the Field of Dreams, Miracle League teams will play on a custom-designed, rubberized turf field that will allow the safe use of wheelchairs and other assistive devices. All players will also be paired with an able-bodied partner or volunteer through the “buddy” system.
“Our field takes all of those barriers away and allows all of those athletes to come together and actually be able to play on a team,” the parks director said. “This serves those who have wheelchairs, walkers, but also kiddos with autism and we have ways for those that are blind to be able to participate, even. It brings all of that whole population together and creates an opportunity for everybody to play and participate in one place.”
Over $600,000 has been raised for the league and its facilities through fundraising efforts and a corporate sponsorship, Hargrove said. Now, with the field built, she hopes to continue to fundraise to help build and fund a concession stand and bathroom structure to support the needs of the players and families and a “totally inclusive playground.”
Registration for the Miracle League of Western Kentucky is now open via the Marshall County Parks Department website. Registration is $20 per athlete per season and it covers player insurance, equipment fees and a team shirt. Scholarship funds are available for anyone needing assistance paying the registration fee.
The games will take place on Sept. 9, Sept. 16, Sept. 23 and Oct. 14. Anyone interested in volunteering to be a coach or a “buddy” for Miracle League players can contact Hargrove by calling 270-527-5284.
There are currently more than 350 Miracle League organizations across the U.S. and Canada, including ones in Louisville, Lexington, and Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
