“You’re not the only one there. There are other parents,” Marci Weaver, a mother and baseball coach for The Miracle League of the Lehigh Valley said. “There are people out there that are willing to share their experiences, too.”
The Miracle League of the Lehigh Valley, often referred to as Miracle League by people in the community, is a nonprofit organization in Schnecksville that specializes in creating an inclusive baseball league for kids and adults with special needs. The league has developed quickly into a community for both the parents and their kids to feel welcomed, accepted, and loved.
Standing out from other competitive leagues, Miracle League incorporates non-traditional baseball rules to enhance each game by making use of a volunteer-based structure for its organization. One of the most important role within volunteering is the “buddy” — where each player gets paired with their buddy to run the bases or practice throwing the ball. Each player gets a turn at bat, but ultimately the score doesn’t matter as the game will end in a tie.
Weaver has been coaching alongside her daughter, Samantha Weaver, for around 10 years. Weaver is a sophomore at Emmaus High School and has played in the Miracle League for around 13 years. While participating in Miracle League, she’s managed to bond with numerous other players at EHS. Wishing to expand the participation among the Emmaus community.
“To bring new friends,” Samantha Weaver said, regarding her interest in publicizing Miracle League.
In addition, Marci Weaver feels proud about boosting participation to other families with special needs children, not only as an extracurricular activity, but also as a networking system to provide extra assistance in raising special needs children.
“Depending on what disabilities the child may have, you’re not sure of where to go,” Marci Weaver said. “I know sometimes [the] parents [on my team], they apologize and say, ‘I’m sorry for how the kid may be behaving,’ and that’s okay. This is for them. They can be themselves, and you don’t have to worry.”
Marci Weaver has had the opportunity to watch her daughter grow as a baseball player and as a person due to her involvement in Miracle League. At times, she finds it difficult to be a parent of a child with special needs, but she has quickly found the positives, especially within the community at Miracle League.
“We know things may not come easy, but we push through it until it is accomplished the best way the child does it,” Marci Weaver said. “It is a great feeling watching them accomplish their goals and seeing their reaction and smile, knowing they have accomplished a tough task for themselves.”
As Miracle League celebrates its 20-year anniversary, it has quickly grown from just a baseball league. This organization has created several programs for children, including community service opportunities, holiday celebrations, dance classes, bowling, and attending Iron Pigs games.
Communities and strong connections to Miracle League run deep for Stephanie Fisher who has been the director of The Miracle League of Lehigh Valley for the past year and a half. After being inspired by her own sister who has special needs, she quickly became interested in working with the organization after wanting to expand opportunities for other children.
“It’s important to have a Miracle League in any community,” Fisher said. “Sports and activities are a huge part of children’s and adults’ lives, and it’s important to have inclusivity and offer those same opportunities for people of all needs.”
Please check out the Miracle League’s website at MLLV.org for more information on how to help or additional volunteer work.
