NRLL Challanger Division Ready For 2018

A release from John Veneziano and the North Reading Little League:

North Reading Little League is proud to announce that its Challenger Division will return for the fifth straight year.

Challenger is most easily described as adaptive baseball for kids with special needs. It was established in 1989 as a separate division of Little League to enable boys and girls with physical and intellectual challenges, ages 4-18 (or up to age 22 if still enrolled in high school), to enjoy the game of baseball along with the millions of other children who participate in the sport worldwide. Today, more than 30,000 children participate in more than 900 Challenger Divisions worldwide.

Since its inception in 2014, the NRLL Challenger Division has grown to include nearly four dozen players, serving families in North Reading and attracting youngsters from area communities that include Reading, Peabody, and Lynnfield. Coaches and volunteers – known as “buddies” – take a clinic-style approach that combines skills and drills, followed by modified games for the players. The emphasis is on fun
and learning in a safe environment.

Sessions will run Sundays from 9-10:30 a.m. starting April 29 at Benevento Fields, with a “road game” or two mixed in against some of the Challenger Divisions in surrounding communities. The program runs through mid-June, ending with a Jamboree hosted by Weston Little League, which is always a big hit with families and volunteers.

NRLL President Eddie Madden has seen the impact of the Challenger Division firsthand.

“It’s wonderful to see so many kids out on the field having fun and being able to enjoy the great game of baseball. Challenger is one of the best things we do as a league because of how it positively affects lives, and that goes beyond the players,” said Madden, who thanked Braga Landscaping for sponsoring team
jerseys and equipment for this year’s program. “The volunteers, many of them Little League players or parents themselves, find it an incredibly rewarding experience.”

Those interested in learning more about the program may contact NRLL Challenger Division director Chris Hanson at chrishanson2925@gmail.com or by calling (781) 439-9031.

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Baseball returns to Benevento Fields tomorrow night when the NRLL Majors division starts its season, highlighted by a rematch of last year’s finalists when the Diamondbacks meet the Orioles (Field 2, 5:30
p.m.). The Diamondbacks beat the Orioles in a best-of- three series to capture the 2017 title.

The Minors, Instructional, and Tee-Ball divisions all start play on Saturday, and the Farm League has its opening games on Sunday. Complete schedule information and more about North Reading Little League is available at www.nrll.org.
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NRLL’s Big Diamond season started last weekend. In the Middlesex Big Diamond League Junior Division (ages 13-14), the Mariners throttled the Wilmington Cardinals, 13-3, while the Wilmington Braves topped the Blue Jays, 12-5. In the Senior Division (ages 15-16), the Yankees hammered the Wilmington Astros, 8-1.

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A final reminder that applications for the two $500 scholarships that North Reading Little League offers to graduating seniors are due April 20. The application form and instructions for submission can be found at www.nrll.org.