About MLAZ
Play Ball
Welcome to the Miracle League of Arizona. Below is detailed information for families interested in having their child play baseball and also for those interested in volunteering with the Miracle League. "Every Child Deserves the Chance to Play Baseball."
Fall Season
Our Winter will run from December 7 thru Febraury 18. Games will be played on Wednesday evenings for 4-14 years olds @ 5:30-7pm and 15 years and older @ 7:00-8:30pm and also Saturdays,starting at 9 am & 10:30 am
Registration
Registration for our Winter Season is now open. The registration fee is $20 per player, $10 per volunteer. This is an OPTIONAL DONATION and NOT a requirement. No child will be turned away because of inability to pay. If you cannot afford the registration fee, your child's participation will be made possible by generous donors.
Volunteers are also asked for a $10 OPTIONAL DONATION.
The above monetary requests help us defray costs of jerseys, equipment, Buddie shirts and insurances.
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New Registration Only |
Participants
The Miracle League of Arizona is dedicated to providing a safe and enjoyable baseball experience for children with cognitive and/or physical disabilities. We welcome girls and boys from age 4 years old or older, regardless of her/his previous experience or level of baseball ability.
Teams
After the registration period ends, each player is assigned to a team. Each team has three coaches and each player is assigned a buddy for the season who provides encouragement and assists with hitting the ball and rounding the bases.
Uniforms
All players will receive a baseball jersey and cap at opening day. Volunteers will receive MLAZ shirts at orientation prior to opening day. Players can wear any closed toe shoes except cleats and can bring their own glove, if they have one. Gloves, bats, and balls are all provided.
After you complete your registration if you have any further questions please contact Deanna Zuppan, Director of Operations at deanna.zuppan@mlaz.org We look forward to seeing you at the MLAZ stadium...Lets play ball!
Who We Are
Miracle League is a volunteer-based organization which was started in 2006 by a group of individuals who believed that special needs children needed a place of their own to play baseball. In 2008 Dan Haren Sr., father of Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitcher Dan Haren, and a 33 year veteran of community service, retired as Executive Director of the West San Gabriel Valley Boys and Girls Club,located in Monterey Park,California & moved to Scottsdale Arizona.
Dan took on the role of the Miracle League of Arizona's Board President & helped re-establish the momentum needed to develop a baseball facility in Northern Scottsdale located on the site of the old Cheyenne Elementary School (Frank Lloyd Wright & Via Linda).
The MLAZ Board of Directors is comprised of a group of community minded individuals who share the Mission of the Miracle League of Arizona. "To provide opportunities for children with physical and/or mental challenges to play Miracle League baseball, regardless of their disablilites. Our goal is to promote the construction and upkeep of specially designed facilities that meet the unique needs of Miracle League players and their families."
Why A Miracle League?
There is something about playing the game of baseball that lights up a youngsters eyes. But for children facing serious physical and mental disabilities that opportunity can often be difficult to achieve. Baseball diamonds weren't exactly designed with wheelchairs and crutches in mind.
Miracle League of Arizona teams play on a custom - designed, rubberized turf field that accomodates wheelcahirs and other devices while helping to prevent injuries.
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The result is a bond that cannot be described. The "magic" of these relationships simply cannot be put in words. You need to see it.. you need to feel it. It is a connection that touches the heart of both the player & buddy, and lasts a lifetime.
The MLAZ serves children and young adults who suffer from any physical or mental disability which causes them to be excluded-whether intentional or not-from conventional youth baseball leagues.
According to the 2000 Census Bureau there are six million children in our country who have disabilities. Information supplied by the Scottsdale Unified School District, SUSD, states that there are 2,952 special needs children in the SUSD school district & an additional 3,117 special needs children not part of any on-site school program.
Information from the Department of Developmentally Disabled in Maricopa County states that there are 17,000 special needs children "registered" within County, and at least that same number who have NOT registered... so in excess of 34,000 potential Miracle League players in Maricopa County alone. It's Time for these kids to......................
"Play Ball" !!!!!