Well here it is the end to a perfect start!! No, not “The ~End”…as in That’s all folks! Because there is MORE , where that came from. Much MORE!! After seeing the overall success of this program, there is no-where to go but UP ! Our KIDS CAN PLAY BALL!! Very apparent and why not? What were we thinking? (as they say) Well point of fact is we weren’t. PLAIN and SIMPLE!
Nobody was. There are SOMEBODIES out there that still won’t.When the rest of the world realizes that our kids are intact. They are able spirits.Able to run, throw, hit and catch. The art is in learning how to maneuver with other people in the world. Each autistic individual is different yet, the same, all at varying degrees. Did you catch that?…I’ll wait a bit while you re-read that one. lol Now imagine a mercurial child in a mercurial environment. That is a start at explaining the complexity of it.
Having had the whole league under the ASD Umbrella made it easy for us to manage the kids in the way that they require. As parents/coaches we were able to gauge our kids limitations and desires accordingly. Kids were given the power to play their game at their speed! It was and IS a beautiful thing. A thing that must continue. As the little league rules read …we are NOT ALLOWED to have an autism only league. SCREECH………………….Did I hear that correctly? “It’s not fair to kids with other disabilities.” Is the pervasive reasoning surrounding this rule written for equalities sake. Then ITS TIME for the right to have an AUTISM ONLY rule added to the “Green Book “
A few board meetings back ex-president Moni suggested I read the “Green Book.” Someday I will. It doesn’t matter what color that book is, the bulk of those rules will not apply. Autism means throwing the “Rule Book” out the window some days. It is imperative that AUTISM be recognized as separate from other disabilities. For purposes that we have on the baseball diamond and in the classroom. THOSE ARE CIVIL RIGHTS. Seriously. The state of and/or lack of services and venues needs to be totally re-vamped. In most cases created. There are simply more and more Autistic Spectrum People in this world. Acceptance, mass understanding and recognition need to prevail.
With the help of strong determined parents and good~ willed benefactors this WILL HAPPEN. I feel it, along with 100’s of thousands of others. We are ALL Feelin’ IT. That it is high time for understanding ,acceptance and respect. Respect for being different and acceptance , for the ways that we navigate through life. We are all human we all crave understanding, acceptance and respect. As a parent of one of the A~Leaguers ,I have seen a new look in Wyatt’s eye. A look of pride and self esteem. This is what life is all about! What took us so long ~~WHAT WEREN’T WE THINKING ??
