Welcome to the Miracle League of Alexandria (MLA) website. You will find a lot of information on this site about the MLA, its activities, and the people that it works with. We hope that you find it both useful and informative.
The Miracle League of Alexandria (MLA) wants to spread joy and happiness to our league players/Nannie J. Lee Center Therapeutic Recreation youth and adults this holiday season.
Please help us fill our wish list for their holiday parties in December. We are looking for donations that will go directly to them as we wish them a merry holiday season!
Donations accepted through December 10, 2025:
We are also accepting donations for our Brian’s Sensory Bags project we are making available to the ACPS schools and throughout the City of Alexandria. Items needed for the sensory bags are also on the Amazon wish list link above.
The Miracle League of Alexandria is a 501c3 tax exempt charitable organization. Tax exempt number available upon request. Donors will receive a Letter of Donation for tax reporting purposes and recognition on our website at www.miracleleagueofalexandria.com.
For more information on the “Season of Miracles” Holiday Gift Drive, contact Mac Slover, Chair at [email protected] or Laura Fries, Vice Chair at [email protected].
Cameron Cunningham, our 2025 National Miracle League All-Star player, represented the MLA in St. Louis, Missouri the weekend of September 12 – 14 held at the Gateway Region YMCA, Miracle League Field.
Mac Slover, Chair of MLA, Diane Ford, Cameron’s parents (Matt & Audrey) and brother, Calvin traveled to St. Louis to support him at the weekend festivities.
The yearly all-star games featured seven games with over 120 participants from the Miracle Leagues across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico and now Australia. This was the seventh year for the National Miracle League All-Star games (except for 2020 – due to Covid). Thus far, the MLA have taken league participants to the games in Findley, Ohio, Sioux City, Iowa, Houston, Texas, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, West Palm Beach, Florida, Covington, Georgia and to St. Louis.
Cameron and his family were thrilled he was selected to represent Alexandria at the national all-stars.
It was a weekend full of opening activities, games and awards for all the players. The weekend began on Friday night with the opening ceremony being held at Bush Stadium, the St. Louis Cardinals home field.. Prior to the parade of teams, the Cameron and his family met his teammates from the Minnesota Twins team. All the players, league directors and parents were provided food, music along with free activities geared towards the players and their families in the Redbird Section of the park. The players, families and league supporters were able to go out into the stands of the stadium for a closer view.
Saturday, Cameron and his Twins teammates played the first game at 8 am. He was able to participate in an exciting game against the Braves. Cameron had a good time playing and had a local “Angel in the Outfield” Buddie to assist him during the game. He had two nice hits and so nice throws in the field. It was rewarding to see him playing and having fun in front of a lot of cheering fans.
Saturday night, the festivities concluded with the annual awards ceremony and dinner for the players, families and Miracle League Directors at the St. Louis Science Center. Before receiving his awards, families were able to explore the three floors of the center and participate in activities. Food and music was provided for everyone. At the end of the evening, Cameron and his teammates received their awards, an all-star ring, a replication small bat and other items marking his participation in the all-star game.
The Miracle League of Alexandria is proud of Cameron and would like to thank Dr. Austin of the Alexandria Children\s Dentistry for her annual donation for a player to attend the National All-Star games each year. We would also like to thank Matt and Audrey for giving us the opportunity to have Cameron attend the memorable weekend. It also provided them the chance to be able to see Cameron and other participants achieve success, feel great about what they have accomplished and have the experience of a lifetime playing baseball. This weekend of memories will last for Cameron and his family forever. Congratulations Cameron, you were awesome playing.
The 2026 National Miracle League All-Star game will be held October 16 – 18 in Frisco, Texas.
The Miracle League of Alexandria’s Chair, Mac Slover, represented the league at the Eugene Simpson Park Complex Groundbreaking Renovation Ceremony on Saturday, June 21. The ceremony was sponsored by the Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities (RPCA) as the park is now closed for the renovations until the fall of 2026. The renovations will include installing a new artificial turf field at Big Simpson Field, regrading and installing new Bermuda grass on Little Simpson Field, new dugouts, bleachers, concession and storage area, paving, new basketball court, plants, trees. lighting and other renovations at the complex. The Simpson Complex is named after the Simpson family, who have been a longtime supporter of youth baseball in the City of Alexandria. The very busy Simpson Park opened in 1953, and is home to the Alexandria Little League, Alexandria City High School Baseball team, Alexandria Soccer League, and features a dog park, tennis/pickleball courts, nature area and basketball court. Donnie Simpson serves on the MLA Board and often provides his time and services to support the sports community.
The ceremony featured the new Director of RPCA, Vice Mayor Bagley, City Manager Parajon, Councilman Pike, Park & Recreation Commission members, city staff, representatives from the Alexandria Little League, Alexandria High School Baseball and softball teams, Mac Slover from the MLA and community residents. Slover stated “It was important for the Miracle League of Alexandria to the support the Alexandria Baseball community at this groundbreaking. All these groups have been very kind and supportive of the Miracle League through the years. They have supported us monetarily, with equipment and serving as “Angels in the Outfield” Buddy Volunteers to our players. It is only right that we support them! It was a great day, and we are excited to see the renovations take place.”
The Miracle League of Alexandria honored Tim Bryant, an employee of the Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities – Sports Office for nearly 40 years, on Saturday, May 31.
Due to the rainy weather, the ceremony and Miracle League game were moved indoors to the Nannie J. Lee Center. Mac Slover, Chair and Bill Rivers, Secretary/Treasurer of the MLA honored Tim in front of the players, parents, volunteers, Recreation Department staff and supporters. Mac and Bill each spoke about working with Tim through the sports programs and the Miracle League. Tim worked under Slover’s leadership in the Sports Office from 2002 – 2017 and Tim knew Bill from him serving as a volunteer coach for over 20 years in the RPCA youth basketball program. Tim also assisted Mac and Bill when the Miracle League program first started in 2011 and still helps out with the league to this day.
Tim was presented with a framed certificate and a Washington Nationals jersey and hat as part of the support the miracle league receives from them. Tim then turned the tables on Bill and Mac when Tim presented his remarks. He passionately wrote a speech thanking Bill and Mac for their leadership in the community through the years, their friendship to him, but especially the work they have done over the years with the Miracle League and the special needs community in Alexandria. Slover stated, “Tim Bryant is one of the most passionate, kind, soft spoken, warm hearted and class person I have ever worked with or had the pleasure know. I love this man and how he has always been there for me and the children in the City of Alexandria whenever needed. Tim may be soft spoken, but he is a giant among men!” Congratulations Tim on being a longtime friend to the Miracle League of Alexandria.
Below is Tim’s Tribute to Mac and Bill.
The Alexandria Miracle League Hall of Fame
I saw a seed being planted
I have been fortunate to see it grow
I know there were other planters
But there are two I personally know.
America has its MacDonald’s
They are located all over
Alexandria Miracle League has a Mac
With the last name of Slover.
America also has its rivers
They run through mountains and hills
Alexandria Miracle League has its Rivers
With the first name of Bill.
I have seen Mac and Bill work relentlessly
Through times when they were fatigued
They watered the seed that was planted
That has become the Alexandria Miracle League
The Miracle League has produced
Opportunities that may never have been given
It has brought joy and laughter to many
That says life is truly worth living.
Last Night I had a dream
That yours and each participant and workers name
Will someday forever be enshrined
In the Alexandria Miracle League Hall of Fame.
Written by Timothy L. Bryant
Overall, it was a wonderful ceremony and game that helped bring a terrific spring season to a close.
Laura Fries, Vice Chair of the MLA, was recently selected as their volunteer representative for the Washington Nationals Team Up Day Festival on Sunday, June 8 at Nationals Park. Laura was selected due to her long time work with the miracle league, but especially her work with Brian’s Sensory Bag Program, the work with the recreation department and George Mason Elementary School on their sensory rooms, work at the youth and adult league games this past year. “Laura and her husband Jack have worked tirelessly for the MLA since its inception in 2011. Without Laura’s work and leadership, the MLA would not be as successful as we have been. She is a real treasure for our league and we are lucky she brings Jack along too” states Mac Slover, MLA Chair.
As the MLA representative at the Team Up Festival, Laura was chosen to present the Washington Nationals official lineup card to the umpires at home plate before the Nationals and Texas Rangers game. What an honor for Laura and the MLA to be recognized for her outstanding work with the Miracle League of Alexandria. Congratulations Laura!
The MLA players also attended the annual Team Up Festival along with the Therapeutic Recreation staff, families, and volunteers. Even though there was a rain delay, everyone had a terrific time pulling for the Nationals!
For the second time this spring season, the MLA received a donation of 15 sensory bags to distribute to the community in Alexandria. Calder Sherman, chose as part of his Bar Mitzvah Project, to support the Miracle League of Alexandria also. Calder loves baseball and chose to donate 15 of the smaller versions of the sensory bags to the league. The sensory bags outreach program implemented by the MLA earlier this year. Mac Slover, Chair of the MLA, stated “the MLA have been honored to have been chosen to be a part of two important Bar Mitzvah Projects this spring. We were very happy to be able to work with Elliott and Calder on their projects. It makes you feel the work we are doing for the special needs community in Alexandria means a lot to everyone, especially our young people too.”
Calder received a certificate of appreciation and was received a Washington Nationals jersey/hat from the MLA. Like Elliott, Calder plays in the Alexandria Little League and was selected recently for the all-stars on their Intermediate team. They will be competing later in June in the District All-star games. Good luck to Calder in the all-stars. A special thank you goes out to Calder for the sensory bags and thinking of the MLA!
