Challenger Baseball is back this fall! Challenger Baseball is an adaptive baseball program for individuals with physical and mental challenges. It is a free program for residents and non-residents, ages 5 and above. There will be volunteer baseball “buddies” to assist in any capacity – hitting, fielding, and base running.
For six Saturdays – September 25 through October 30, games will be played from 1-2:30pm at John Pryor Park. The upper baseball field is a Cal Ripkin, regulation little league field, is ADA compliant (good for wheelchairs and walkers) and has a synthetic turf infield. Bats, balls and helmets will be provided, all that is needed is a glove and an interest in baseball.
Games typically last an hour and are played with a regular sized baseball that is softer and made of rubber. Everyone plays the field, bats and gets on base. Again, buddies are available when needed. If interested in being a buddy, register online under “Challenger Baseball – Buddy 2021”. Minimum age requirement is rising 6th grader.
Challenger Baseball has been a part of Rec programming since 2018 (with a hiatus in 2020) and was a big hit from it’s inception. It was brought to the curriculum by Ken Catanella who was watching his grandson play baseball in California and heard screaming and yelling at a nearby field. He went over and watched a Challenger Baseball game and was struck by the level of participation and enthusiasm. When he returned to New Jersey he approached Theresa Miller, Director of the Parks & Recreation Department and they developed this great addition to the Rec’s special needs programming.
Ken and Cheryl Catanella continue to financially sponsor Challenger Baseball and Ken will be pitching again this year. Players are required to register at www.moorestownrec.com so t-shirts and hats can be ordered. Group photo day is slated for October 2.
