MISSION STATEMENT
Provide hope and support for parents and their children
as they learn baseball in a fun, caring environment
The Challenger Division of Little League® Baseball was founded in 1989, and is Little League’s adaptive baseball program for individuals with physical and mental handicaps, ages four through adult. Tri-County Challenger Baseball began in 2003. Each year we have around 150 kids from Lee, Collier, and Hendry Counties of southwest Florida playing on Saturday mornings from January through April.
We pitch to each player until they hit the ball. Everyone runs the bases, there are no outs, and every game ends in a tie with the players lining up to “high five” the opposing team
Challenger Little League® provides the opportunity for disabled girls and boys to participate in the organized game of baseball. These children get to do something that “non-disabled kids” take for granted … being part of a social event in an accepting place.
Tri-County Challenger Baseball goes beyond the Little League® experience by providing special events for these children and their families at zero or minimal cost. We attend college baseball and basketball games, and professional hockey games. We organize party boat rides, picnics in the park, and beach weekends. We hold an annual Awards Day celebration, and provide overnight accommodations at Challenger Little League Tournaments and Jamborees across the state. These “extracurricular” activities provide the opportunity for these families in similar situations to network and build community. Our non-baseball activities are, for many families, the only outside activities they can afford as the medical costs of these children have strapped the family budget.
We are an all-volunteer organization. No one … not Coaches, Executive Director, or Corporate Officers … receives a salary or compensation. One hundred percent of your gift will go directly to the kids and their families.
Please help these kids have a little fun on the baseball diamond each Saturday during season, and give these families the opportunity to network and share with each other in an accepting place. If you are so motivated … we sure can use your help.
Our sister league in Boston, Massachusetts, produced this short video that does an excellent job of describing what we do and the impact we have in our community. Please take three minutes to watch it and learn more about us.
Three Minute Video