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Youth Program Details
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Activities Offered
  • Baseball
Participants Served
  • Age range of participants:

    0 - 3 years: No

    3 - 5 years: Yes

    6 - 12 years: Yes

    13 - 18 years: Yes

    18 - 21 years: No

Transportation
  • Accessible by Public Transportation: No

  • Transportation Provided by the Program: No

Notes

The mission of the Miracle League is to offer accessible recreational opportunities for children with special needs so that they can participate in a team sport as a member of an organized baseball league. We strive to reach this goal by:

  • Providing opportunities for children with disabilities to play Miracle League baseball, regardless of their abilities
  • Promoting community support and sponsorship of Miracle Leagues
  • Promoting the construction of special facilities, which meet the unique needs of Miracle League players and their families.

We cannot change or cure the medical issues life has dealt our children with disabilities. What we can do is provide them with an opportunity to experience the joy and benefits that come from playing our national pastime � baseball!

History

The Miracle League of Richmond Virginia�s (MLRV) primary focus is to organize baseball programs and to build accessible rubberized fields so that every child has the chance to play baseball. In 1997, Georgia Rockdale Youth Baseball Association�s Coach Eddie Bagwell invited Michael to play baseball on his team. Michael, 7, who has Spina Bifida and was in a wheelchair, attended every game and practice, while cheering on his 5 year old brother. In 1998, recognizing the potential safety hazards of a traditional field the Rockdale Youth Baseball Association (RYBA) formed the Miracle League with a mission to provide safe recreational opportunities for children with disabilities. The complex would include a custom-designed field with a cushioned rubberized surface to help prevent injuries, wheelchair accessible dugouts, and a completely flat surface to eliminate any barriers to wheelchair-bound or visually impaired players. Richmond Virginia�s Miracle League field, located at the L.C. Bird Sports complex in Chesterfield County took 597 days to complete. On September 15, 2007 the field opened to twenty-four young baseball players and a host of �Buddies� to play on Virginia�s First Miracle Field! Since then The MLRV has provided safe recreational play for over five hundred players and volunteers. The Miracle League organization and Chesterfield Parks & Recreation has opened the Miracle League Facility to other organizations with clients that are physically or emotionally challenged. In 2008, the Virginia Veteran's Hospital used the Miracle League facility for wheelchair softball and family picnics. We are hopeful therapeutic organization�s will continue to utilize the Miracle League facility during the year when not in use by the Miracle League organization. The field is located at the L.C. Bird High School Sports Complex (10301 Courthouse Road, Chesterfield, VA 23832), off of Route 10 in Chesterfield County. Once at L.C. Bird High School, go around the far side of the school building. The field is next to the large parking lot.