Tyler’s Miracle League offers inclusive baseball for young athletes

TYLER, Texas (KETK) – The Miracle League, which offers opportunities for young athletes with physical limitations to participate in baseball, is coming to Tyler.

The Miracle League is partnering with the City of Tyler to open up a field at Faulkner Park. The field is expected to open on June 14 and will feature an exhibition game along with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by former MLB players.

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The field will be tailored to allow athletes with a number of different kinds of physical limitations to enjoy baseball. In order to make the field more accessible, the bases are flat and smooth, preventing tripping hazards. The field is also designed to allow athletes in wheelchairs or other kinds of physical disabilities to compete on the field.

The games will also be conducted on a buddy system as they will pair each athlete with a ‘buddy’ who will help them navigate the game. Each player’s ‘buddy’ will be an athlete from a local high school or college who will make sure the players are safe and having a good time while allowing parents to set back and enjoy the game while getting to know other parents.

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The process of bringing the Miracle League to Smith County began in 2020. The project was headed by Casey Bryans, the President of the Miracle League of Tyler. The Miracle League is especially meaningful to Bryans due to his own son participating in the league during his youth.

After getting the opportunity to watch his son compete in the Miracle League, Bryans now wants to provide that opportunity to East Texans.

“Our desire is for every child who can play on a traditional baseball field to play on our field,” Bryans said. “There are literally thousands of kids in Smith County who can play on our field.”

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Bryans emphasized how the league will strive to create a sense of community in Tyler for families who want to provide their children with a chance who may not have the opportunity in the past to compete in youth sports and be a member of a team.

“This is about an opportunity for kids who may not have had the opportunity to be in a team in the past,” Bryans said. “An opportunity for them to come together and make friends. An opportunity for parents to come together and watch their kids have fun.”

The league hopes to provide more than just baseball to the athletes. It wants to provide them with purpose and fulfillment while also raising awareness across East Texas.

“Baseball is great, and we were so excited we were going to play baseball, but there is so much more than that,” Bryans said. “We have the opportunity to build friendships, relationships and just bring awareness to athletes in Texas.”

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Those who want to look into signing their children up for the Miracle League or seeking to volunteer can learn how the Miracle League website.

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