Since its first season in the fall of 2021, the Flower Mound chapter of Miracle League has more than doubled in size and their focus has broadened. Miracle League is a national organization with over 350 chapters in different parts of the country. The baseball league removes barriers for athletes with disabilities by using specialized equipment, playing on turf fields and teaming players up with buddies, able-bodied peers.
Director Jeff Fisher brought the Miracle League chapter to the Flower Mound area after he volunteered his son’s Rattler select team as buddies for a Miracle League Arlington game.
After meeting two players from the Flower Mound area, he got the idea to petition for the creation of a more local chapter.
Not only is the Miracle League about to kick off their spring season of baseball, they have also teamed up with GLASA’s TOPSoccer program, a Lewisville outreach program for soccer that gives players with disabilities an opportunity to play.
“We’re partnering to get more kids on their field and hopefully they’ll help recruit kids that they’ve got playing soccer to the baseball league,” Fisher said.
Although the league does not currently play basketball, they held an exhibition basketball game on Feb 11 to gauge the interest Miracle League families may have in basketball.
As the league ventures into other sports Fisher hopes that more people can find a home in the league.
“I’d love to see them making more new friends,” Fisher said.
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During the fall season, some Marcus students played together on a team. Player Ryan Cogliano enjoys playing for the team. He has goals for the upcoming season.
“[I want to] just try to get on base and try to help my team out,” Ryan said.
Since last year, the baseball league has split into two different leagues, competitive and recreational. They had three competitive teams and six recreational teams.
Brynli Carter plays for the competitive league. Her favorite part of baseball is batting.
“[I like] hitting the ball really hard,” Brynli said.
“It was kind of neat to see these little more advanced kids and watching them do what they do,” Fisher said.
Another player, Conor Clark enjoys experiencing all different parts of the sport.
“[I like] every different position,” Conor said.
Because of the league’s growth, they have been making upgrades to their facilities and equipment. Last year Fisher petitioned for the renovation of Field 11 in Bakersfield Park. The renovation added turf, which makes the field more accessible for athletes who use mobility devices.
Their preceding fall season was the first one played on the new turf.
“It was really special to see the kids that are in wheelchairs, who were benefiting greatly from the turf,” Fisher said.
Player Matthew Cogliano said he enjoyed the new field.
“It was super fun,” Mathew said.
In addition to the turf field, the league has other specialized equipment for athletes with different needs. They have baseballs that make noise made for visually impaired athletes, and a bat developed by a Miracle League parent specifically for players in wheelchairs called the Switch Hitter.
Despite their exponential growth, the League has never been short on buddies to help with “facilitating fun.” Fisher said that sometimes, they have more buddies than they need on a field.
“That’s one of the great problems that we have, if I could call it a problem,” Fisher said.
Buddies can sign up by going through the Miracle League website to pick which games they would like to help with. They have had hundreds of buddies connect with their players.
“People want to be involved and they want to meet our kids,” Fisher said.
The community has praised Fisher for his work in helping athletes, buddies, families and sponsors unite through the opportunity that the Miracle League has provided for more people to enjoy the game of baseball.
As the Flower Mound town hall filled for a town council meeting Fisher stood ready to give a presentation on the fall 2022 season of the Flower Mound chapter. As the head of a baseball league for athletes with disabilities, Fisher works to uplift others.
But he had no idea that tonight, the Miracle League community, and the town of Flower Mound would be uplifting him.
As he waited in the lobby, Fisher noticed the familiar faces of the Miracle League community shuffle in. Busy preparing for his presentation to the town council, Fisher was clueless to the fact that the Miracle League community had nominated him for the Flower Mound Outstanding Citizenship Award — for bringing the Miracle League to Flower Mound and advocating for field renovations to increase accessibility for athletes who use mobility devices.
“It goes to speak to the love that’s involved in our organization,” Fisher said.
