Miracle League building fields for disabled kids
Published: October 25, 2007
Construction began Thursday on a first of its kind sports facility in East Greenbush. By June there will be a soccer and football field, a track and a baseball diamond built especially for athletes confined to a wheelchair or with other physical handicaps.
It’s just a pile of dirt now, but it will soon be home to the East Greenbush Miracle League. It’s called that for a couple of reasons. One is because great things happen there. But also because there were times when organizers weren’t so sure their dream would pan out.
Imagine being told your child was too handicapped to compete in the Special Olympics. Burke Adams says that’s the news he had to break to his then 8-year-old daughter, Jamie.
“I never took no for an answer,” Adams recalled. “I said, ‘Don’t worry, Jamie. I’ll figure out something. I’ll come up with some answers for you.’”
The solution? You can’t be banned from something you found. So Adams created a league for Jamie and other kids with special needs. The athletes play adaptive sports like baseball, football and basketball — and anyone and everyone gets the chance to play.
“[The athletes are] very social now. Not afraid to talk, excited to come. It’s very exciting that the program helps out,” Adams said.
The group already accustomed to overcoming challenges soon found it had one more hurdle. The fields, courts and surfaces they played on really weren’t equipped for their players. They managed, but then realized they didn’t have to just get by and started raising money for a completely rubberized athletic complex accessible to all.
“We talk about projects and fields and roads and brick and mortar, but fundamentally it’s people and that’s the mission that drives us,” said Assemblyman Ron Canestrari, D - Cohoes.
While homeruns may not be guaranteed, at least the chance for one is finally a reality.
“It’s been very challenging, but I enjoyed every minute of it. You feel like a million dollars every time you work with the kids. Especially when they come up and say, ‘Hey, Coach Burke, I love you,’” he said.
The total cost for the project is $250,000. Some of the money came from the state, but a lot of it was raised through donations and corporate sponsors.
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