Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Publication: Bucks County Courier Times
Northampton's will be one of 12 Miracle League fields in Pennsylvania.
BY DANNY ADLER
STAFF WRITER
A first-of-its-kind athletic field in Bucks County is coming to Northampton, where kids and young adults can play on their own field of dreams.
The Miracle League of Northampton will use township land at the Northampton Township Municipal Park to build a rubberized field that's accessible to people with physical and mental disabilities.
Organizers say the special field will allow those in wheelchairs and walkers the chance to play ball. Traditional grass-and-dirt fields can be difficult for them to navigate.
Miracle League organizers hope to break ground for the new field in spring, gather hundreds of players and join the 200 other Miracle Leagues across the country. In the meantime, the Miracle League of Northampton is working to raise between $500,000 and $750,000 to get the league going, said league board member Debbi Katz.
"It's an incredible project for so many reasons," said Katz.
One important aspect that organizers stressed is the proposed field's proximity to other township park fields used by Northampton's Little League and softball teams. They say that will create an area where people with special needs play on fields right next to other kids in Northampton.
"This way, we can play when all the other kids have games," said Katz, who lives in the township's Richboro section.
Joe Hand, a Miracle League of Northampton board member who lives in the Holland section, said the Miracle Leagues give kids with special needs a feeling of accomplishment and camaraderie.
"They get a lot of enjoyment out of playing baseball and sports that they normally can't. They get the feeling of inclusion," said Hand. He and his father manage the Joe Hand Boxing Gym in South Philadelphia, which offers people a place to train and a computer lab for neighborhood kids.
"We're excited about this," said Nancy Opalka, director of the township's parks and recreation department. "It's something unique in this area."
There are 12 Miracle Leagues in Pennsylvania, according to Diane Alford, national executive director of the Miracle League. Three have completed fields and nine are under construction or in fundraising.
Hand got the idea for the Northampton field when she saw a magazine article on the Miracle League. He also heard that the township was soliciting ideas for what to do with an unused piece of land in Northampton and thought, "God, I'd love to do something like that."
While pitching the idea at a township parks and recreation meeting, Hand met Bill Gannon, president of Northampton Baseball, who had the same idea, Hand said.
"We don't have a field in this area, in this community, that will cater to special needs children," Hand said.
Officials said they want to provide any child with special needs in Bucks County an opportunity to use the field. And not just for baseball - maybe they can organize a football game, bocce ball, soccer.
Organizers also hope the smooth surface will give seniors a field to use.
"We're gonna build this thing," said Hand. He added: "It's gonna put a smile on some kids' faces who sure are having a tough time in life. It's a special thing."
Danny Adler can be reached at 215-949-4205 or dadler@phillyBurbs.com.