Wins and losses don’t matter in this softball league.
But having fun does.
Every fall and spring, Idlewild Baptist Church (IBC) in Lutz hosts a softball league for the special needs community in Tampa Bay.
It’s called the IBC Champions Division.
And, together it brings children and adults of all ages, with varying physical and mental disabilities.
Some players have autism. Others have Down syndrome. It has even accommodated a blind player in the past.
“We have them all, and we love them all,” said Louise Faust, one of the league’s volunteers.
Faust, along with a handful of others, serve as designated “Field Buddies.” They keep the games moving along and shielding players from any hard-hit balls.
The league draws more than two dozen special needs players from Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties. Church membership isn’t required to participate.
“It’s not all folks from within our church congregation,” said Deana Troyer, manager of Idlewild’s special needs. “There are people from the community here that may be part of the church or part of no church, but this commonality draws them together.
“We all come out and have a blast,” she added.
Troyer noted the special group bonds over their relative circumstances.
“They look out for each other. They operate like a family,” she said.
The six-game fall season ran from Oct. 7 to Nov. 18.
Games are played for about an hour on Saturday mornings at Idlewild’s Champions Field, a fenced-in complex made of rubber pavement — from recycled tires — to safely accommodate wheelchairs and walkers, and help prevent injuries from accidental falls. Donations to the church’s foundation helped build the facility in 2011.
Unlike other recreation sports, the rules of this league are lenient and accommodating.
There are no practices. No one keeps score. Players can opt to hit off a tee or receive pitches from a designated coach or player. Anyone can hit a home run and run the bases if they so choose. And, teams are split in half, based on who shows up each week.
“We have our own rules,” Faust said. “It’s just for fun and everybody enjoys it. I enjoy it, too.”
Count 52-year-old Kelly West among those who look forward to games each week during the season.
West, who has Down syndrome, is accompanied to each game by her mother, Donna West. The pair were among the first arrivals at a recent Nov. 11 contest.
“It’s cute and it’s fun, and they really enjoy it. I know my daughter does,” Donna West said.
Kelly proved one of the game’s standouts, eking a standup triple out of a groundball. Her energy and enthusiasm never wavered.
What does she adore most about the league? “We’re a family,” she said.
Another player, 36-year-old Tim Culver, has played in the league for the past four years. “Making friends” keeps him coming back.
Christine Hoerner, too, has been in the league for several years. The 30-year-old is known among her peers for her hitting power — slugging her share of home runs. In fact, the field clears to the dugout when she steps to the plate. “I like to hit it over the fence,” she said.
Besides its players, Champions Division softball holds significant meaning for its volunteers.
Kathy Alvarez has helped as a coach, since the league began more than a decade ago when games were played on regular fields, until the Champions Field was constructed.
Alvarez said the program provides an opportunity for special needs players to learn new skills, while getting exercise and having an all-around good time.
“They look forward to it and they’ll see me at church and say, ‘Coach, baseball’s coming soon,’ and it might be in June and they’re already looking towards October.”
She added some newcomers are initially hesitant to participate, but eventually warm up to the idea once seeing others play.
Alvarez explained: “What’s interesting about it is I can get a new kid…and they won’t want to get out of the car, or they’ll sit on the bench and won’t want to play, which is fine. Then the next week, they say, ‘Hey, I’ll come up to bat,’ and in a couple weeks they know that they hit the ball, they run the bases. They learn on their own just by watching; it’s an awesome thing to go through.”
Henry Morales, another volunteer, likewise has seen the progression of players firsthand, since he began volunteering over six years ago. He supports his niece, Christine Hoerner.
Said Morales, “Some of them have never played any kind of baseball or anything before coming here, so you kind of start them off on the tee ball like a 3-year-old. And when we first started in 2011, a lot of them were doing that. Now, almost all of them are taking pitched balls and hitting them.”
The softball program also puts regular life into perspective for David Johnson, another “Field Buddy.”
He explained: “We go through our everyday lives, stressing, ‘Man, I’ve got to do this…’ We think we have a big burden on our shoulders, but when you stand behind home plate and you watch them play and laugh and give you high-fives, your problems don’t seem that bad.”
He added: “Every time they give me high-fives and give me hugs, it just makes my day. There are some things you just can’t forget. It sticks with you; it stays with you.”
In addition to softball, Idlewild Baptist Church offers a comprehensive special needs program.
Among the highlights are a fishing program, called Fishing, Faith and Fun, beginning in January. There’s also a Christmas pageant, featuring special needs participants, on Dec. 3.
For more information on the programs, visit Idlewild.org/category/special-needs/.
Published November 29, 2017
