‘We all get a chance’: Herriman Adaptive Baseball League welcomes all

HERRIMAN, Utah (ABC4) — Spring youth sports are alive and well in Utah right now. But for some young people, a traditional team might not be the best fit. That’s where adaptive sports come in.

Nash Whittaker is a charming 11-year-old and one of the shining stars on the Herriman Adaptive Baseball League.

He explained why the chance to play baseball is so important to him: “I didn’t ever think I’d be able to play a sport because I was different. But I can play here. If you don’t feel like you have a purpose, you can come down here and play with us.”

That answer sums up what makes this league and their games more than just a game.  On these adaptive teams – each player has their own challenges and differences, but on the field it does not matter.  They are all here to win.

Kellie Nielson’s son, Cory, is also on the team. She explains why this opportunity is important to her family.

“From a mom’s perspective, my heart swells bigger than you can imagine to think that he isn’t different from anyone else, and he can play the same sports as everyone else he knows, and he’s the same, it doesn’t matter,” Kellie said.

Kellie’s son Cory is Nash’s teammate. He has his own set of challenges — but on the field, those challenges get pushed aside.

Kellie explains, “He feels free. This is [a] group of friends where he can be himself and there’s nobody who can tell him he can’t do anything or make him feel like he can’t do anything.”

This is the beauty and necessity of adaptive sports: Everyone can play.

Kellie continued, “The community needs adaptive sports and adaptive ways for kids to interact with each other. Where they feel normal — so to speak — where they aren’t different from everybody else, and their abilities or disabilities don’t matter in any way, shape, or form. The adaptive program is so vital, especially for the older kids who age out of some programs. Here there is no age limit, and so they just love it.”

Herriman Baseball’s goal is to teach the children of this community the love of baseball. And when they said everyone, they meant it. The adaptive teams play weekly. They keep score, and each week new skills and challenges are mastered. The coaches and support staff volunteer their time, and Scheels provided the specialized gear.

Nash summed it up, “It’s a great place to be and we all get a chance, no matter what.”

Herriman Baseball is working with communities around them to expand the adaptive league to give more children the chance to play.

If you know of Acts of Kindness in your community, we want to share their stories. Please email us at actsofkindness@abc4.com.