Boiling Springs, S.C. -- "Every child deserves the chance to play baseball."
That is the goal of the Miracle League, a baseball league designed specially for children with disabilities. On Monday, April 28, nine Wofford student athletes participated as "buddies" for a pair of Carolina Miracle League games at Miracle Park located in the North Spartanburg Sports Complex in Boiling Springs, S.C.
Monday's festivities were part of an annual "Appreciation Night" to the many agencies that helped to build Miracle Park. The Carolina Miracle League is a non-profit organization founded in 2001 to build a baseball diamond tailored to the special needs of children with disabilities. Miracle Park opened in April 2007 and features a ProTraxx playing surface that accommodates wheelchairs and walkers.
The Terrier team photo after the Miracle League game
Nine Wofford student-athletes, along with staff from Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System participated in the doubleheader. The Terriers who participated on Monday were Mary Rea and Erika Bishop (women's soccer), Brittany Thompson (volleyball), Nick Schuermann and Joey Taylor (men's soccer), Colleen Rice (women's golf), Cayley Wetzig (women's tennis) and Ryan Young and Brad Miller (football). Assistant athletic director for marketing and promotions Lenny Mathis has volunteered with the league since 2003.
The Wofford student-athletes participated as "buddies" for both games which includes assistance with batting (as displayed by Nick Schuermann and SoCon Slugger Josh St. Clair), fielding where necessary and running the bases.
This spring the Carolina Miracle League expanded to serve over 80 children spread over six teams. Five Spartanburg area colleges and the Southern Conference have teamed up to defray the cost of uniforms by sponsoring teams.
On Monday, the Raptors (Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic) played the SoCon Sluggers (Southern Conference) followed by the Spartans (USC Upstate) against, the Miracle League's Wofford Terriers. The league's two remaining teams are the Valkyries (Converse) and Pioneers (Spartanburg Methodist).
The Carolina Miracle League serves children with disabilities in Spartanburg, Union and Cherokee Counties in South Carolina as well as Polk and Rutherford Counties in North Carolina.
To learn more about the CML, log onto
www.carolinamiracleleague.com or come cheer on the teams during the four remaining dates of the spring season (May 1, 3, 10 and 17). The CML Terriers will play the mornings of May 3, 10 and 17 at either 10am, 11am or Noon.