We first became involved with the Challenger Program when we lived in Maryland. Our son (in orange above) expressed interest in playing baseball and we heard there was an adaptive league for special needs children locally. He started playing 12 years ago at the age of 6, and hasn't looked back. It truly is his favorite thing thing in the whole world!
We fell in love with Challenger baseball when he joined in 2008, and got involved from the beginning. We started as coaches, then joined the Board of Directors for the Maryland District 5 Challenger Division. We formed many friendships we hold dear to this day, and met so many amazing kids whom we will never forget.
We moved to Sussex County in 2013 and soon realized there was no Challenger Program in the area. We were so sad...the Challenger families had become OUR family, and our son was crushed over the prospect of not playing. We started looking into starting a Challenger Program here and reached out to every league in District 3. We received a response from Tracy Littleton, former president of Lower Sussex Little League. He was very excited and offered to charter the new program. DE 3 Challenger Division's first season began in spring of 2015 and had 13 players. The program has grown a little each year, and we had 34 registered players in 2019!
We can't say enough good things about the Little League Challenger Division. It helps each player with socialization, getting out and being active, experiencing different sights/sounds/activities/people/places, learning the routine and flow of a game, and becoming comfortable with playing a sport that is adapted to their individual needs. We love watching the players blossom with every game, every season...it's truly inspirational.
The #1 rule is "there's no stressing in Challenger baseball!" It's ALL for fun, and for the love of the game. Safety is a top priority of course, but the program is tailored to try to meet the needs of each player. We love getting to know every player and his/her family; it is an honor and a privilege to become a part of their world.
We have incredibly dedicated parents, coaches, player siblings, and a Parent Committee who have helped grow and expand this program; their help and input is truly invaluable! Equally as vital are our wonderful volunteers, from members of the community, travel ball players and coaches, and Little League players, to the businesses and individuals who sponsor the league each year and help with much needed funding. A heartfelt THANK YOU to all who make the growth and success of this league possible!