FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) – While fall camp continues for the UCF baseball team, the Knights also have been very busy away from the diamond. This year’s squad has spent time assisting the Miracle League along with conducting clinics for local little leagues at Dr. Phillips and Winter Park.
A youth baseball league designed to give mentally and physically disabled children the opportunity to participate in a sport that might otherwise have very limited access for them, the Miracle League not only promotes the sport itself but also the building of self-esteem and camaraderie that playing it can provide.
On fields specifically designed to accommodate the needs of the participants, children and UCF student-athletes alike took to the plate for what proved to be a unique opportunity for members of the league to participate in an exciting game of T-Ball.
In order to assist players, the Miracle league has developed a system aptly titled “Angels in the Outfield.” This buddy system pairs each child with an able-bodied volunteer, a role UCF student-athletes were more than willing to play, and allows for a unique bond to be formed between the two.
Now in its eighth year, the Miracle League has 125 participants and has opened a second league in Clermont.
Meanwhile, this weekend the Knights will be joining the track and field program for the Knights Give Back event, where student-athletes will conduct a field day with the youth of Boys Town in Oviedo. The Knights will interact, play sports and give encouragement to the children.
Miracle League Photo Gallery
Little League Clinic Photo Gallery
