The North Kitsap Little League is looking for some special boys and girls.

We have a team designed specifically for special-needs boys and girls ages 5 to 18 years old. The catch? You have to have an IEP (Individualized Educational Program).

Our Challenger Division team is only for children with mental and physical disabilities — and boy, do we love to play baseball! We normally play two innings on Saturday mornings. This year, the baseball season begins on April 8. We usually play two innings and every child gets to bat until they hit the ball, then they get to run the bases. When we bat through the lineup, that team takes the field and then we start with our second team.

No one is called out. We all get to score. The Little League provides us with a team who has the honor of being our “buddies” for the day. They provide as much or as little assistance as our players need.

Our Challenger Program is free to all Special Needs children who meet the criteria. We provide a T-shirt, hat, and a baseball. Everyone has so much fun; we generally draw quite a crowd of onlookers. Parents love watching their kids play; the kids love getting to play baseball.

How do you sign up?  Easy. Go to NKLL.com and look for the registration site.  Be sure to read on down to Challengers, then follow the links. Questions? Send an email to northkitsapchallenger@gmail.com or “like” us at North Kitsap Little League Challenger Division on Facebook.

Cathleen Taylor
North Kitsap Little League
Challenger coordinator