One afternoon, Peggy McCall found herself reminiscing with other mothers about their sons’ days in little league baseball. “It dawned on me that all parents should have the same memories as I did,” she recalls. “When you are a parent, there’s a laundry list of things you see yourself doing — going to the ballpark for example. Just because your child has a disability shouldn’t mean that your family doesn’t get to have those memories.” With financial and volunteer support from Rotary Club 99, Peggy turned that passing thought into the reality of The Miracle League of Arkansas.
Q: What is the mission of the Miracle League?
A: We want to create a baseball league where all kids can play, where all parents can have memories of their child on a team and where every “buddy” in the community wins.
How has the organization grown?
In our first season, we had 42 players. Today, there are 350 players registered in three leagues in Little Rock, PLUS we’ve added two fields in Springdale.
What’s a buddy?
A Buddy is a volunteer who assists and protects a player during a game. Adult and youth volunteers build relationships and develop empathy that bridge differences.
Initially, our Buddies sometimes face challenges in anticipating what they should do and how they should respond to our players. Fortunately, our players are great teachers! We create an environment for Buddies to learn how to communicate and interact with children and adults who accomplish things differently.
How many volunteers do you need every week?
We need 24 buddies per game. That means there are more than 200 volunteer hours every week for the Little Rock games, which are played on our field just off Cantrell Road, adjacent to Junior Deputy Ballpark.
What’s one of your favorite Miracle League moments?
One memory? Wow, there isn’t just one. The recurring memory week after week is the look on the parents’ faces as they watch their children play in an environment that is totally accepting of their differences. The pride on their faces, the cheering, the high fives — all of that validates the importance and value of our program.
How can Soirée readers get involved?
The ballfield is a welcoming place! Come be a Buddy, cheer our players and see for yourself why we say the Miracle League is more than baseball.