WMLL is proud to offer baseball for boys & girls with physical & mental disabilities through our Challenger League program. Launched in 2009, our Challenger League offers an authentic Little League experience in an athletic environment structured to the ability of each player.
Eligibility: Any disabled boy or girl aged 7 to 18 years old living in Dane County is eligible to play.
Rules:
- Games run for 1.5 hours & usually allow for three complete innings of play. No score is kept.
- Each player takes a position on the field & bats every inning. A half-inning is over when all the players on a team have batted.
- Batters can choose to be pitched to by a coach or hit off a tee. There are no strikeouts.
- Players in the field attempt to make outs, but even if they do, the batter stays on base as a baserunner.
“Buddies”: Every Challenger League player is paired with an able-bodied buddy, usually WMLL baseball & softball players. Buddies provide encouragement & assistance as needed on the field, at bat & in the dugout. The use of volunteer buddies allows the parents of Challenger League players to sit in the stands, watch the game and cheer on the players.
Click HERE for information about being a Challenger League buddy.
Games: The 2021 season begins on August 28 & runs for five weeks, ending on October 2 if there are no rainouts. All games are on Saturday mornings at the WMLL Battista Field (the field closest to Forward Drive) – except for a special game under the lights on the evening of September 4.
Practice Game: There will be a practice game the evening of August 20. Before the game, players will meet their buddies & coaches and receive their uniforms.
Fees & Discounts: The standard registration fee is $35 with a $10 early bird discount for players that register by the early bird deadline.
Scholarships: Scholarships are also available for the entire registration fee, thanks to the generous support of many area businesses, organizations & parents. If you would like to make a donation, please contact Brian Beutter, WMLL’s executive director, at brian.beutter@gmal.com or Challenger League Coordinator Randy Norton at randaln@charter.net.
Key Dates: Click HERE for a list of key events & dates.
Questions?: If you have questions about WMLL’s Challenger League, please contact Challenger League Coordinator Randy Norton at randaln@charter.net.