East Metro Miracle League Begins in Woodbury

For as long as the Miracle League has been established, the West Metro has benefited from funding to build fields—giving children with disabilities an opportunity to play the game of baseball.

Children and their families in the East Metro who wanted to play, would have to make the long trek out to fields like the one in Blaine, will no longer have to do that.

At the Bielenberg Sports Center (BSC) and East Ridge High School, softball fields have been temporarily prepared for the Miracle League.

The real magic occured last night, when a ground breaking for a soft synthetic field was held.

“It is great to hear that a field will finally be built on this side of town,” Jeremy Baker, coach of the Miracle League Mets, said. “A lot of us would have to travel all over just to play, so to have one close is really nice to see.

“I know we are in tough times, but there is a need for something like this and so many people wanted this to happen," he continued. "We are all just happy that people and the community stepped up to make this happen.”

For now, the East Metro Miracle League teams will play on one of the softball fields at BSC. The particular field they play on has been groomed specifically for the Miracle League.

Some participants use wheel chairs, so standard usage of infield dirt would make it harder for them to maneuver in the infield or go around the base paths.

With a harder, yet safe surface, those in wheel chairs have an easier time moving.

“It was really a great idea to make the infield a little harder,” Baker said. “There’s no way some of our players that use a wheel chair would be able to get around like they do right now.

“It is a good field to use right now until our new one gets built.”

Play Ball

Baker is not the only one excited about the new East Metro Miracle League. Stillwater resident Shelley Livermore has a relatively short drive to bring her son, Greg, to play baseball.

“We saw that the Miracle League was played mostly on the West side, so they experimented a bit last year in this area,” Shelley said. “It must have turned out great because there was support to get it going this year.”

Greg, 16, who will be a junior at Stillwater Area High School (SAHS), got a chance to do it all on a warm Wednesday evening in Woodbury.

He played shortstop and first base in the two inning game as his Mets squad played the Red Sox.

With the help of his brother Scott, 17, a soon to be senior at SAHS, Greg was able to run the bases with his brother.

Afterwards, Greg had a big smile on his face after his first game of the season and with a warm night with little wind, he was ready for a cool down and a clean up.

“I’m going to take a bath,” he said.

“You are a bit sticky,” his mother Shelley added.

For most players, their families are heavily involved. Greg for example, always has his brother by his side along with Shelley who takes photographs.

Scott runs along with Greg on the bases and is always by his side on the field, but Greg was nearly flawless as he took care of his positions at shortstop and first base.

“He’s a good helper, isn’t he?” Shelley said of Scott.

“Yes he is,” Greg answered.

Other parents help their children out in the field and at the plate if needed. They pitch, direct players where to go and just generally teach the game as if they were another coach.

“I really think the parents and family members enjoy this as much as the players,” Baker said. “We really have a lot of fun and to see the smiles and laughs is something else.”

More Smiles to Come

With the East Metro Miracle League now up and running, Baker and the rest of the Mets and their families will have more smiles ahead of them.

“I think having it here is going to allow more people to come and join,” Baker said. “Hopefully they make more fields because there is a need for this.”

The East Metro Miracle League plays on Monday’s and Wednesday’s at 6:30 p.m. throughout the summer at the BSC.