This week, a baseball league aimed at fostering a sense of community will launch in Stuart.
Trevor Sherrard and his wife have an 8-year-old nonverbal son and admit it’s difficult to find activities in Martin County for children with disabilities.
The family noticed their son loved baseball and enrolled him in a Miracle League program.
“The Miracle League in Palm Beach County—what I saw there with my own eyes and my son—was that the community showed up,” said Trevor Sherrard, co-founder of The Miracle League of Martin County. “What would happen is my son would round third base and start heading home, and you’d hear thunderous applause. Everyone would start saying, ‘Yes!’ And honestly, it’s life-changing for a parent of a special needs child.”
The Miracle League was created in 2000 to allow children with disabilities to play baseball. The organization has been a success and expanded to over 350 fields across the U.S. and Canada.
For the Sherrard family, the only issue they faced was the trip from Martin County to Palm Beach County.
“There must be hundreds, if not thousands, of kids like my son who don’t have the opportunity to travel even an hour every day to play baseball,” Sherrard said.
The family spent months speaking with leaders of The Miracle League and Martin County officials.
After securing the necessary sponsors, the family announced on social media that The Miracle League would now open in Martin County at Sailfish Park.
“It’s fantastic that we need to create more opportunities in Martin County for this specific population,” said mother Chandra Rivers. “Honestly, we’re growing, and we need more community support to have these kinds of opportunities.”
Rivers is the mother of a nonverbal child who also has epilepsy and said her entire family is excited to see her son play on Thursday.
“Our whole family is looking forward to it,” Rivers said. “Bodhi’s nanny will arrive early, so we can travel together. I teach at Martin County High School, and I have several students who are volunteers.”
Currently, the league has 32 children registered to play on two teams, and Sherrard said he plans to expand in the coming years.
Image: Wflx
