Miracle League of Wilmington scoring home runs for children and adults with disabilities

February 1, 2022

Jeff Rivenbark,

The 2023 baseball season is almost here at The Miracle League of Wilmington (Photo: WWAY)

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — For more than a decade, Accessible Coastal Carolina Events, Sports, and Service (ACCESS) has been providing some special children and adults in the Cape Fear region unique opportunities to showcase their athletic abilities.

The Wilmington nonprofit offers a variety of sports, recreation and fitness programs for people with disabilities, ages 3 and up.

ACCESS started in 2008 to raise money to build the Miracle Field and Kiwanis Miracle Playground in Wilmington. According to the group’s website, they have a specialized 33,000 square foot field made of a flat, rubberized surface.

Since that first Miracle League Season, the nonprofit has grown from serving 45 children and adults to more than 600 through a number of programs.

“All of the programs we offer are for people with physical and intellectual disabilities,” said ACCESS Program Coordinator Mary Katherine Boone. “We have kids and adults with a range of ability, so its super great to bring all them out here to join us in our various programs.”

The group serves All Stars through three types of teams: Classic, Tee Ball, and Competitive. Registration for the new spring season is now open.

Opening day is March 19 and continues for 8 weeks ending on May 21. There is a $35 fee for every child and adult participant.

“We do try to offer scholarships for those who can’t necessarily afford it for the season because we want to encourage all participants to come,” Boone said.

Businesses or individuals may make a donation to help cover the cost of scholarships.

There’s also a huge need for volunteers.

“Volunteers are a huge help for our classic and T-ball leagues,” Boone said. “We just love all the help we can get from the community and we love bringing more and more people out here to the field.”

The summer season lasts four weeks and the fall season starts in August.

All games and practices are held at the Miracle Field located at 5510 Olsen Park Lane in Wilmington.