Ryan Wallace, youth player in the Miracle League of Alexandria represented the City of Alexandria at 2019 National Miracle League All-Star games in Sioux City Iowa September 6 – 8. Ryan was one of 100 participants from 25 states from across the United States and Mexico.
The honored participants represented 60 chapters of the Miracle League who were nominated to play by their leagues. The Miracle League is a national program founded in 2000 in Atlanta, Georgia and has grown to over 300 teams from the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. The Alexandria program began in the spring of 2011 with the rubberized surface, Kelley Cares Miracle Field completed in November 2012. The Miracle League program is specifically for youth and adults with special needs to enjoy outdoor recreational opportunities and plays baseball in the spring and fall each year.
During the weekend of activities, Ryan and his mother, Jenebah Moore, his brother Franklin Wallace along with Miracle League of Alexandria coordinator, Mac Slover, (retired from the Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities) and Chairman of the MLA attended the games. The group was greeted with a welcoming sign for each player and their families as they came off the plane by a local high school cheerleading team in Sioux City. Later that day they attended the special mixer and Taste of Sioux City kick-off event including a kickball game, putt putt golf, special sensory zip lines, splash water pads, musical pads, food, music and much more on Friday night, the games on and a celebration gala and awards program on Saturday. Each of the participants was provided a special all-star uniform for the game, gift bags, prizes, an all-star medal, and a special engraved bat along with other special awards at the gala.
The all-star game provided Ryan and the other participants the opportunity to play the baseball games in a special “field of dreams” atmosphere setting as the players were introduced coming out of the corn stalks behind the field, an announcement of their names and pictures on the video scoreboard, play by play announcing and music. All the families and spectators cheered on each player loudly when they hit the ball, ran the bases and scored.
Mac Slover stated “After going to Ohio last year, I did not think it could have been any better, but Sioux City was spectacular with its Miracle Field with the ornamental corn stalks behind it simulating the movie “Field of Dreams,” the video scoreboard and its special sensory components in the complex like the water park, putt putt course, playground, and merry-go-round accompanying it. It really provided everyone attending a sense to think you were in heaven. There is even a sign on the centerfield fence that says it all, “Is This Heaven, No Its Iowa!,” a saying from the movie. For me, the most important of the weekend was seeing how excited Ryan was being there and participating and making friends with other participants from around the country and Mexico. More importantly, it gave his mother, Jen, and brother Franklin a chance to be able to meet other families, but most of all how proud they were of Ryan playing this wonderful game of baseball and experiencing this weekend with Ryan. I am just lucky I had the chance to be a part of it too and network with so many wonderful people there. “It was about being a family and supporting each other” Slover stated.
Jen Moore stated “Thanks to Mac, the Miracle League of Alexandria and the Kelley Cares Foundation for being instrumental in us having this wonderful experience with the Miracle League All-Stars. We had an awesome time! I have learned from this experience that these children are so much more than their disabilities and with a little help and support like we get in Alexandria, the sky is the limit for them.”
Ryan’s team, the White Sox played the opening game of the day to a packed field of spectators and received rounds of cheers throughout the game and many congratulations following it.
The 2020 National Miracle League All-Star Games will be in Houston, Texas. Slover stated “we have already begun to plan for next year games. We have already picked up a sponsor that we will be announcing in the next couple of months. The sponsorship will pay for the entire family and MLA representative’s trip to the all-star games.”
The Miracle League of Alexandria begins its fall baseball season on September 14. The youth games are held on Wednesdays from 4:30 – 6 pm and the adult games are on Saturdays from 1 – 2:30 pm at the Kelley Cares Miracle League Field, located at the Lee Center, 1108 Jefferson Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.
For information or to make a donation to the league, go to www.miracleleagueallstargame.com.
