Challenger League
An inclusive baseball program for players with physical and developmental challenges.
Ages 4 – 18
Register for Fall 2026
Registration is open, and Challenger is free — there is no fee to play. Sign-ups stay open all season, so it's never too late to join.
Little League's Challenger program provides adaptive baseball for boys and girls with physical and developmental challenges. The program has been creating inclusive baseball experiences for over 25 years, ensuring every child has the chance to enjoy the game.
How It Works
Our local program serves between 12–20 players each season. Teams play one-hour games where everybody bats each inning and everybody scores. The focus is entirely on fun, inclusion, and the joy of playing baseball.
Fall 2026 Game Schedule
Every game runs 12:00 PM–1:00 PM on the Higginbotham field. Please arrive at 11:30 AM — check-in is the half hour before first pitch, when we pair each athlete with their buddy. We'll email you before each game, and text you too if you opt in when you register.
- Sunday, September 20 — 12:00 PM–1:00 PM (check in 11:30 AM)
- Sunday, September 27 — 12:00 PM–1:00 PM (check in 11:30 AM)
- Sunday, October 25 — 12:00 PM–1:00 PM (check in 11:30 AM)
- Sunday, November 1 — 12:00 PM–1:00 PM (check in 11:30 AM)
- Sunday, November 22 — 12:00 PM–1:00 PM (check in 11:30 AM)
The Buddy System
Each special athlete is paired with a buddy (ages 10+) who helps them as much or as little as needed. The buddy's role is to make sure both the athlete and the buddy are having fun and being safe. Relationships built with one athlete over the course of an entire season work best.
Volunteer With Us
Challenger runs on volunteers rather than coaches — buddies, team helpers, game-day setup, and the folks who put on our end-of-season celebration. You can sign up to volunteer on the same registration form, and we provide volunteer-hour certifications for buddy participants. Little League requires a background check for adult volunteers; the league covers the cost.
No child in the program? You can still help — you don't need to know baseball, just show up and cheer.
Cost
Challenger is free. There is no registration fee — no child is ever turned away. Local restaurants and bakeries donate treats during the season, and an awards celebration follows the final game.
Questions?
Haley Hooper runs our Challenger program and is happy to talk through anything before you sign up.
Opens your email app and reaches Haley Hooper and the league. You can also email Haley directly.
Program coordinator? Open the Challenger roster.