The Miracle League of Alexandria

Victor Stearns selected as the Miracle League of Alexandria’s All-Star!

Victor Stearns, an adult player in the Miracle League of Alexandria was selected to represent the City of Alexandria at 2021 National Miracle League All-Star games in November in Houston, Texas. Victor is one of 120 participants to be selected from 25 states from across the United States and Mexico. Victor is one of the original members of the Miracle League of Alexandria program and is an avid baseball lover.

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.

Due to the unsettled Covid-19 situation in Texas, Victor and his family were unable to attend this year’s event but are set to attend the all-star games in September 2022 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Victor will be accompanied by his brother, Frank, sister-in-law, Judith and Mac Slover, Chair of the MLA.

Sponsoring the Miracle League of Alexandria’s All-Star player each year is Dr. Angela Austin, owner of the Alexandria Children’s Dentistry in Alexandria. Dr. Austin has two locations in Alexandria in Del Ray and at Landmark. The Miracle League of Alexandria is very fortunate to have Dr. Austin and her staff as sponsors for their program. Check out Dr. Austin’s dental practice at www.loveskidsteeth.com or 703.942.8404 or 703.341. 4418.

Mac Slover, MLA Chair stated “we are proud of selecting Victor as this year’s all-star and it was unfortunate he was unable to attend the national all-star games. We look forward to seeing Victor play this wonderful game of baseball he loves and watch he and his family (Frank and Judith) experience that special all-star weekend next September. We are very fortunate to also have a great all-star sponsor in Dr. Austin who has supported our program for many years. I feel our youth and adults are lucky to have such a great partner in Dr. Austin. I cannot thank Dr. Austin and her team enough for their dedication and support each year.”

Victor Sterns - Miracle League All Star — Victor Sterns – Miracle League All Star

Victor with Dr. Angela Austin, Owner – Alexandria Children's Dentistry — Victor with Dr. Angela Austin, Owner – Alexandria Children’s Dentistry

Mac Slover, Frank Sterns, Victor Sterns, Bill Rivers & Dr. Austin

2021 Fall Miracle League Season Begins In September

The Miracle League of Alexandria has announced that all program plans for the fall season will begin in September for the youth and adults. Please see the schedule for game dates and times.

“Angels In The Outfield” Volunteers Buddies will be limited to 10 per game. For indoor games all players, parents, volunteers, and spectators must wear a mask. Masks are optional outdoors but encouraged.

On behalf of the MLA Board Members and Recreation Department staff, we hope all our players, parents, volunteers and staff continue to stay healthy and safe.

For more information, please contact Mac Slover, Chair of MLA at [email protected].

Former Miracle League of Alexandria Athlete – Sydney Barta Competing 2020 Paralympic Games

Now that the 2020 Olympics are behind us, the world’s attention turns to the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, which will host 539 events across 22 sports contested at 21 venues. The games begin with the opening ceremony on Aug. 24 and end Sept. 5, with a day of competitions and the Closing Ceremony.

Sydney Barta (Alexandria, Virginia) — Track and Field
Barta, a former Miracle League of Alexandria athlete, will be competing in the games. Mac Slover, MLA Chair and retired from the Recreation Department, stated “Sydney was a youth participant in the Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities Sports Program for many years playing basketball, softball, volleyball and track & field. She was a very gifted athlete that never let her disability phase her. Sydney played in the Miracle League of Alexandria’s baseball from 2013 – 2015. Barta and her family contributed to the Miracle League of Alexandria in 2013 and have a donor homeplate on the league’s Donor’s Wall. Sydney is one special athlete and will always be one of our Miracles from Alexandria! We wish her the best in Tokyo and hopefully bring home the gold.”

At just 17 years old and entering her senior year at National Cathedral School, Barta will compete in her first Paralympics as one of the youngest track and field athletes for Team USA. She took home gold in the 100- and 200-meter at the 2019 World Para Athletics Junior Championships and is currently ranked fifth in the world in the 100-meter. Barta, who lost her left leg in a scaffolding accident when she was 6 years old, was named U.S. Paralympics Track & Field High School Female Field Athlete of the Year in 2019 and is a two-time U.S. Paralympics Track & Field High School All-American.

Barta competes in the women’s 200-meter dash T44/64 Ambulatory T64 finals during the Desert Challenge Games at Westwood High School on May 30, 2021, in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Sydney Barta – Miracle League of Alexandria 2013
Sydney is on 1st row of standing players – 4th from the left in Nationals uniform with black glove in hand

2021 Spring Miracle League Season Is Canceled Due to COVID (Updated April 2021)

The Miracle League of Alexandria has announced that all program plans for the spring season are canceled due to the continued COVID-19 pandemic situation and guidelines. As of now we plan to return with our youth and adult Fall 2021 season programs in September.

On behalf of the MLA Board Members and Recreation Department staff, we hope all our players, parents, volunteers and staff continue to stay healthy and safe. We will provide and further updates along with the fall dates in August.

If you have any questions, please contact me at [email protected].

2021 Spring Miracle League Season Update (As of January 2021)

The Miracle League of Alexandria is currently waiting until the end of March to make any announcements on any plans for the spring season. Due to the continued COVID-19 pandemic situation, we must wait to see what the guidelines from the CDC, state of Virginia and City of Alexandria will be by then and what programs will be offered through the Recreation Department. We are hoping that our youth program will be able to play again this year, but we will have to see. The Adult Program for the spring has already been canceled and hoping to have them return for the Fall 2021 season.

On behalf of the MLA Board Members and Recreation Department staff, we hope all our players, parents, volunteers and staff continue to stay healthy and safe. We will keep you updated on our spring plans once a final decision has been made.

If you have any questions, please contact me at [email protected].

Fall / Holiday Video Messages – “We miss you, Miracle League!”

Dear Miracle League of Alexandria Players, Parents and Volunteers,

As Chairman of the Miracle League of Alexandria I hope all of our players, parents, family members and volunteers continue to stay safe and healthy. 2020 has been a very difficult year for everyone in Alexandria and our country. The COVID-19 pandemic has really hit our state and nation very hard and continues to be a threat to all of us. No only are the children missing in-person school, sports and other activities, but our local businesses have taken a huge hit also. Families are struggling to get by and provide for them. Our country is going through numerous crisis’ while having to deal with this deadly pandemic. Our health care workers, first responders and front line workers have been the real hero’s this year putting their lives on line to keep us all safe. Without them, we could be in far worst shape than we are now. Together, if we all continue to be safe, wearing a mask, washing your hands, and social distance we can lower the positivity rate and the death rate.

MIRACLE LEAGUE OF ALEXANDRIA (MLA) CELEBRATES 10 YEARS!

On behalf of the Miracle League of Alexandria board members, staff from the Recreation Department, we wanted to let all our players, families and volunteers to know who much we miss you all this year. COVID-19 has cost us to have to cancel our 2020 spring and fall seasons, something we really were disappointed in happening.

This year, the MLA of is celebrating our 10 years of existence and eight (8) years of the Kelley Cares Miracle Field opening.

THANK YOU – As the MLA Board’s way of saying “WE MISS YOU ” and “HAPPY HOLIDAYS” and to celebrate the birth of the MLA, the board members along with the staff at the N.J. Lee Recreation Center – TR Program has put together a group of videos to share with you. The multiple videos discusses the history of the start of the MLA, the groundbreaking and dedication of the field, the construction of the Ruthanne Ladato Memorial Playground, but also provides a montage of pictures looking back through the years of all the games, dancing and fun we have had each Wednesday and Saturday at the field with our players, volunteers, staff and board members. Please feel free to share the video link with anyone you want to. I want to thank Bruce Milton, Lindsey Swanson and Bill Rivers for their incredible assistance to me in pulling the videos/pictures together to enjoy.

Video Link: https://app.vidhug.com/rk7_XjZ5w/hug

VERY SPECIAL FOR ME – I am forever grateful that a dream that I had came true, but more importantly I am honored knowing it never could have without the support from so many people from the community like our sponsors, players, parents, volunteers, RPCA & City staff, an incredible MLA board, lead by Bill Rivers, Lindsey Swanson, Terry Burcham & Swanson Family of the Kelley Cares Foundation, Donnie Simpson, Deb & Brian Riley, Laura Fries, Bruce Milton, Pat Miller, Psi Nu Chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, youth organizations, countless volunteers and supporters who believed in supporting the special needs community in Alexandria. With everyone’s support, not only did we get the program started and field built, but were able work to have the outside mural on the building by the field done, a renovated adaptive playground, time capsule installed, shirts and equipment provided along with countless other things we have been involved in.

So, from the MLA Board and myself, we hope that you enjoy the videos and pictures as we celebrate our anniversary! We hope that we will be able come back to play again at the field this spring. Of course it all depends upon the situation with the virus and the vaccines.

Please let us hear your feedback on the videos/pictures and any thoughts you would like to share. Email them to me at [email protected] with your comments.

Again…. WE MISS YOU AND CANNOT WAIT TO SEE YOU! Take care, have a safe holiday season with your families.

Mac Slover
Chair, Miracle League of Alexandria
[email protected]