News and Announcements
Challenger Division Classic from Angel Stadium
Posted by Gene Schoenberg at Nov 28, 2010 4:00PM PST
( 0 Comments
)
CHALLENGER DIVISION
For more information email wdllchallenger@yahoo.com
The Challenger Division became a part of Little League in 1989, and since that time has seen thousands of children enjoy the opportunity to play baseball and Little League. It benefits children with physical or mental challenges. This program teaches the players to play fair, sportsmanship and teamwork which are characteristics of Little League. At our games, we don’t count strikes, we don’t count outs, we don’t count runs, everybody plays, everybody scores and everybody wins. It had been 13 years since West Downey has had a Challenger division. At that time they played on Sundays at Apollo Park with patients from Rancho Los Amigos hospital. It was in 2007, the board was approached by Board Member, Tammie Waldo to reinstate this division. She knew firsthand what it was like to have a child with differences. After the board viewed a short slideshow of the program, it was unanimous to start the program. Her vision was that every child should have the opportunity to play baseball. The division started with 12 players and Tammie’s hope was to grow one team per year. In 2008 the division did just that. 24 players and two teams were formed. Now the division has 36 players, has 3 teams and still is accepting new players. This is mainly due to our parents spreading the word about how much fun we have in our program. This season the division will have Challenger Buddy’s. This is where young volunteers (ages 10-20) that do not have a disability assist Challenger players when needed at bat or in the field. The best thing a buddy does is to be a friend to our players. Each buddy will receive an official t-shirt.
This division has been representing West Downey Little League in events all over. For the last 2 years the division participates in the ARC Walk for Independence. Their first year participating, they made the front page of the Downey Patriot with Phillip Palmer from Channel 7 news and met the Laker girls cheerleaders. Last year they raised $700.00 as a team.
They were invited by then Mayor Mario Guerra to lead the Pledge of Allegiance at the City of Downey Council meeting. The first meeting that Mario was Mayor. The kids handed out small American flags as a token of our thanks.When the new Discovery Sports Complex that opened in Downey in 2009. Our players were invited and the first to play a game on the baseball field. They have been to the Little League Days at Angel Stadium for 2 years and have walked the warning track just like all the other teams. Not all leagues that have challenger programs participate in this, but West Downey does. They were invited to play Winter ball with Cypress Little League in 2008. During that season they participated in the Bank of America Challenger Classic at Angel’s Stadium. Where they played a game on the field, met Justin Spires a relief pitcher. Each player was awarded a medal, given lunch and a souvenir picture. We were invited again last year and hope in years to come. This year the Challenger Representative from Williamsport was present for the games.As you can see, West Downey’s Challenger Division is more than just a baseball team. It’s a team filled with a lot of love and parents that couldn’t be more proud of their special child that they have been bless with.
