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Dream League softball season has special needs athletes dancing on the diamond

‘Dream League’ softball providing an opportunity for special-needs athletes

Music blared from the speakers, infield dirt dusted up with dance moves and laughter lit up the diamond every Monday the last eight weeks.

The scene was the Fort Lewis College softball fields, where 14 players embarked on the second season of the Durango Parks & Recreation “Dream League” adaptive softball program for players with disabilities.

After successfully launching the program in 2014, Durango Parks & Recreation saw its efforts pay off two-fold this season with an increase in player and volunteer participation as well as a longer season with an additional three weeks of games.

“It’s gotten bigger, and it’s gotten better because we had returning volunteers and players come back from last year, and we’ve added a few more,” said Mary Krause of Durango, who helped create the program in 2014. “It’s rocking.”

Krause’s son Erich has down syndrome, and she was looking for any way to get him involved in an outdoor activity and away from television and video games.

“Erich is really jazzed about playing. He gets confused on the midweek days, and he starts asking, ‘Is it baseball night?’ All the kids, they wait for Mondays and get so excited to play,” Mary Krause said.

Erich and the rest of the returning players made big strides in their play throughout the season. Many players advanced from hitting off a tee to being able to take swings at live pitches from the volunteers.

“We had a first-year participant who uses a wheel chair, and his parents both said they didn’t know if their kid could even do this, but they wanted to try,” said Chris Clements, recreation supervisor for adults and teens with Durango Parks & Recreation. “We said, ‘Bring him, we’d love to have him here.’ Since then, their son played every week.”

Clements said another first-year player, Elena England, had difficulty her first week being in the mix of activity with everything going on. But, with the help of volunteer Danica Dudley of Durango High School, she was in the full swing of things by the end of the season.

“By the end she was running up to the batter’s box, hugging everyone and participating like any other sports nut would,” Clements said.

Each player was matched with at least one volunteer who helped the athletes bat, field and throw. Relationships are built, and every player makes at least one new friend.

The league grew from 12 to 14 players the last year, and the volunteer numbers went from 15 to 25, helping make this season bigger and better.

High-fives were widely distributed, and so were the dance moves, as a mix of music blasted over the speakers to add even more life to an already exciting event.

“It’s the music that makes the baseball game. Everybody is up here at the complex with ladies softball and adult kickball going on at the other two fields, and everyone is jamming to the music, not just our dream leaguers,” Mary Krause said. “The kids are dancing on the field to Michael Jackson, and the parents even get into it in the stands. The camaraderie between everyone up there is special.”

But, according to Mary Krause, there aren’t enough opportunities for the special-needs community in Durango to have more such moments.

“We need more programs for kids and adults with special needs so they don’t sit home 24 hours a day playing video games. Everyone else in Durango is out enjoying the outdoors, but these kids don’t have all of those opportunities,” Mary Krause said. “There is a dysfunctional special-needs community in Durango. My son and I are moving to Scottsdale, Arizona, because there aren’t enough services for my son to have a lifestyle in this town.

“We lived in Durango for four years and are exiting stage left for a town where my son will have baseball three times a week, bowling and after-school programs. I know it can happen in Durango, but it takes a village to make this a success.”

Krause gave kudos to Clements and Durango Parks & Recreation for getting the ball rolling. She also credited sponsors of the Dream League who stepped up this year to get each player a hat and shirt while helping make the league possible.

The next step for Clements is getting a floor hockey league up and running for special-needs athletes this fall. He said his goal is to continue to provide as many opportunities as possible for every member of the Durango community to get outside and recreate.

“Our motto is to enrich your life. That’s what we’re doing, enriching lives in the community,” he said. “This Dream League is doing it in a different way for a population that may be under served, so if we can provide them with activities, well then, that’s great.”

jlivingston@durangoherald.com



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