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'There just wasn't an opportunity for them': Monroe County hits a home run with all-abilities baseball league

Monroe Champions had their inaugural season last fall. In April, the county got the 2024 County Excellence Award for the creation and support of the league.

MONROE COUNTY, Ga. — Monroe County is one of recipients of the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia and Georgia Trend magazine's 2024 Georgia County Excellence Award last month.

The award highlights the county's new all-abilities baseball league, Monroe Champions. Former recreational director Keith Edge said the idea started back in 2013.

"It was a part of my vision for the recreational department to have opportunities for everybody in the county from age one to 99," Edge said.

The inaugural season started in October, and they have only a few more weeks of spring ball. They'll be out on the diamond May 18 at around 9 a.m. 

All of their games are at the 'Field of Dreams' an all-abilities baseball field at the recreational department. The field was finished after the 2017 Monroe Leadership Class raised over $25,000.

“2017 came in and did the field of dreams which I was just tickled. It was just god sent," Edge said.

Braxton Somers plays on the gold team. He has multiple disabilities including turrets. He said he enjoys hit the ball and seeing people cheer him on.

"It feels really good when I have my family and friends cheering for me," Somers said.

Beth Youmans enjoys watching her son Howard on the field. She said he’s been counting down the days for the season.

"It has given him something to look forward to. It has given just the ability... like I think team sports are so important and for him to feel like he is part of a team to work with other people," Youmans said.

Youmans said she was surprised by all the support for the special needs community especially from other students.

"Teenagers here have just been so willing to come out and just play with them and make it seem normal and fun cause it is," Youmans said.

Edge said he’s grateful the idea is now reality because it’s become a need for the community.

"Kids and adults did not have an opportunity you know they're standing, and sitting in the bleachers, or walking around watching. There just wasn't an opportunity for them so we definitely needed that," Edge said.

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