Buddy Program

Challenger “BUDDY” Program

Each week a "typcial" little league team rotates to volunteer to be Challenger Buddies. They come to our field one hour prior to their game time, along with their coaching staff. Buddies are at the very heart of our program, making this a one of a kind experience in youth sports in our county. We hope great friendships will develop, lasting a lifetime between Challengers & Buddies through baseball.

Buddies should be introduced during Challenger Greeting Time and be paired with their Challenger player and team for the day. Buddies may choose to or not too participate in the “warm up” exercise.

Big Buddies and their Coaching Staff should be involved in the key parts of game play and stay with their assigned Challenger for the entire morning:

Skill Drill Stations: Buddies assist their Challenger player at each station:

Batting with tees – retrieve ball and assist with set up for next try.
Coach and/or Player Pitch (if Buddy is skilled at pitching) – Challenger players physical and developmental ability to be assessed prior to engaging in this type of batting practice.
Batting Cage- manual pitch for better skilled Challenger players –see Brian Craven.
Throwing/Catching – being mindful that these players abilities and physical/developmental limitations are very different. Some should start by throwing and catching a bean bag so that they won’t be injured during play (lack of spatial awareness, vision impairments, slow motor skills and reaction times, hand grasp not developed, etc.
Use a rubber ball for others catching first with their hands and then move to practice catching with a mitt.

Game Play: Buddies to assist in the outfield during game play. ½ of the Challenger Team will be in outfield and ½ in batting line up. Each batter may have 3 or 4 tries at Coach/pitch (Visiting Coaching Staff or Buddy), if they choose, before setting the tee up. Once they make contact with the ball and hit, they may run ONE base; They must wait until the next batter hits before advancing to the next base. This is recommended for player safety, as some kids are more mobile than others. When all players have batted and make it back to home plate – they switch to outfield.

Fielding: Working with players on the field – begin teaching the basics of the game – names and location of bases, fielding ground balls, gently throwing or getting the ball to a “Coach/Pitcher” so the coach can control the direction and speed of the ball coming toward a base.

Buddies control Key positions in the outfield – Challenger SAFETY IS KEY – protect the players from positions where they can be easily injured. Be ready to step in and catch or field a ball that is a threat.

Buddies at bases can:

Catch a ball and then hand it to a Challenger baseman to touch base with a foot, holding the ball to count the approaching batter “out”.
Remind batter on base to run to the next base when it is time.
Ask Challenger questions to keep them interested “where do you go next”, “who is up to bat”, “where is the ball”; “be ready”, etc

Remember that some Challengers will need to be physically helped to the next base – buddy can go along with them.

More capable Challengers may be able to do a lot of this on their own- give them an opportunity if you feel comfortable.

NOTE: There are NO REAL OUTS in Challenger Baseball this season. ALL players may continue around diamond and complete their play, advancing one base at a time. All of our Teams are WINNERS!!

"I want to thank you for giving me a priceless gift…I have met some of the most incredible people ever; This experience has opened my eyes to possibly working with special needs children”.
Ginny Craven – DPLL Buddy player’s Mom