View the NEWS STORY click here [VIDEO] A-LEAGUE featured on KNBC Los Angeles Cal!
Well our GROUNDBREAKING SEASON is off to a great start! Sunny San Dimas was a great backdrop for OUR FUN!! Its so exciting to me that this is happening right here WHERE WE LIVE! How lucky are we? Hopefully this is the PRECEDENT for things to come!! How about a day when autistic children and adults can choose their sport and play?! It is coming Ladies and Gentlemen…it won’t be a simple task. Just a task that is LONG OVERDUE and simply NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
Big PLANS indeed! A conversation we will “table” for another time! Today it was all about “Picture day” AND Game #1!!! WOO HOO. We met up early this morning and smiled for the camera ! All kids wrangled and arranged! The photographers could’nt “table” their need for PERFECTION…and they wanted shirts tucked and hats straightened! One assistant kept asking me to “fix” Wyatt’s hat. Wyatt does’nt actually like the hat…so invariably it gets all turned around. I felt NO NEED to straighten the hat. I replied,”Thats OK thats the way he rolls.” Our manager Matt gave me a knowing look and chimed in “We like it like that!” AND WE DO!!
The younger division had their game at 10:00 a.m. The older division followed at 11:30 a.m. That is the scheduele for ALL the Saturdays of the season ,with the exception of April24th. “A-LEAGUE” will have a buy that day…as most of us will be at the Pasadena ROSE BOWL for the AUTISM WALK! 
Come on out to the games & the walk to SHOW YOUR SUPPORT! We had a great turn-out. The Dodgers had a few kids missing …but the rest were ready! Lora Mancini’s ANGEL TEAM is always out in force! Looking at the sea of red Tim Roe League President said , ” It looked like there were more spectators at the a-league field than the rest of the Ballpark! ” That is the ENTHUSIASM we feel …having OUR FAMILIES at the Ballpark on a sunny spring day!! It’s UNDENIABLE! 
As the “Youngsters ” game unfolded a VERY telling thing occured. Over half the players decided to ” take a pitch” as opposed to using the tee!!! WOW…This is just game 1 …looks like we are going to be getting some great results! When confidence levels rise…no telling WHAT will be in store!! Each team takes two at bats and, when fielding —players shift periodically getting the feel of the whole DIAMOND!! All players are working well! For the YANKEES... Kory B. was essentially a vacuum. Fielding everything within his reach! Elijah L. from the ANGELS… HIT a LONG Groundball to centerfield which earned him the GAMEBALL! Awesome IDEA Coach SCOTT!!
Next-up the “Oldsters” had their debut! They were ready for business…many players can really connect at the plate! While some need literal “shadows” to guide them through…ALL GOOD! I roll closely with Wyatt as he finds his stride. Today he used the metal bat. Mostly he “TAPS or POINTS” at the ball atop tee. With help he swings. When he tried today…#3 was the charm because after 2 misses, he PROMPTLY Flicked the ball WITH HIS 4 FINGERS!! Which sent US round the base path. Me laughing at the practicality of “My BOY”!!
The BRAVES had a good turn-out today. The Penny TWINS had their usual game-faces ON! Delightful SMILES… as they skip across the infield making their plays! Southpaw Eric, HIT some great LINE DRIVE SHOTS! The DODGERS had a GREAT START… when Zach’s MOM, Nicole prompted the boys on “Good DUG-OUT Vibrations! ” Encouraging team spirit…SO IMPORTANT!! The DODGERS bring it with POWER, when the Zapata TWINS are “in the house”! These boys can HIT! Helps having a great Dad & Big Brother to mentor them. As big brother Michael said today, “Their training is paying off!” Both Nick and Steven powered HIGH FLY BALLS out to the fence. The “Homerun Aura” was lingering.
The next time Nick was up …a great cut, the pinging sound… and the HIGHEST of HITS! Then a ONE-HOP & DROP right OVER THE FENCE. The crowd went nuts! A HOMERUN!! THE HOMERUN!… That NICK had predicted in practice ! During the KNBC story, TWINS Nick and Steven were interviewed. I had the privelege of listening in! The footage never made air …which is a shame! The producer asked the boys to describe what they were enjoying the most about “A-LEAGUE.” Immediately Nick said,”HOMERUNS!” Priceless! His brother Steven agreeing then gesturing with his arm… a ball soaring through the air! BEYOND PRICELESS! We need to get our hands on that prophetic footage.
VISUAL THINKERS! Nick so clearly saw that HOMERUN as he spoke about it at Wednesdays practice! Today, Saturday GAME DAY…He made it happen! Thus earning his “GAME-BALL!” I know another visual thinker…and that is Lora Mancini! She visualized the A-LEAGUE, and today it is a REALITY.…………A TRUE HOMERUN!!!!!