Tim McGuire, coach of the Challenger League Little League team, addressed the Portage Exchange Club on Wednesday, May 15.
“We play . . . ‘kinda’ . . . baseball,” Tim said. “The Challenger League is open to kids with all kinds of challenges, both mental and physical. We have a lot of fun and try to give the kids a chance to have fun. We also give their parents and caretakers an hour’s break. Each kid has a helper to help them do whatever is necessary, whether it’s swinging the bat or being pushed in a wheelchair or carried around the bases."
“We put team t-shirts on them, goof around, and get together and barbecue and have a good time. I call it ‘guiding chaos.’”
Last year, the league made baseball cards for each of the kids with their photos and statistics.
The Challenger League plays every Sunday night in June at the Major League field in Portage. The games are free for the spectators.
When McGuire finished his presentation, President-Elect Warren said, “Tim dedicates himself to the kids. And the kids know he’s doing something special for them.”
President Peggy Berbesque added, “One of things we have in common with the Challenger League is a desire to be a presence in the lives of the parents of children who are challenged, as well as in the children’s lives. If what we all are doing can provide an hour of respite for them, then that’s a wonderful thing.”
The club presented McGuire with a check for $500 to help defray the cost of the t-shirts and other team needs.