Helping everyone enjoy the game
Randy Crouse grew up with a love of baseball. He always admired the strong bonds that sports created within communities but noticed that not everyone had the opportunity to play due to cognitive or physical challenges. This led Randy to help bring Challenger Baseball to the province.
Challenger Baseball is an adaptive program that gives people with cognitive and/or physical disabilities the opportunity to play an organized sport. Each athlete is partnered with a buddy who helps them with any aspect of the game they need assistance with. Randy acts as the National Coordinator for Challenger Baseball Canada, the Coordinator for Challenger Baseball Nova Scotia, and the Local Coordinator for Challenger Baseball Antigonish.
“Just because someone needs more support doesn’t mean they don’t want to play. All it takes is a few tweaks and adaptations to give them the chance to play,” he says.
When Challenger Baseball Nova Scotia first began, it had three programs across the province. As of 2019, it had expanded to nine programs with about 400 athletes and 1000 volunteer buddies. Participating athletes are between the ages of four and eighteen, with programs for adults in the works.
"One of our mottos is ‘Challenge Perceptions, Challenge Barriers.’ One of the major barriers that our athletes, their families, and our organization face is the financial burden of organized activities. The funding we received from Support4Sport removes this burden for everyone.”
Randy Crouse
The funding that Challenger Baseball Nova Scotia receives from Support4Sport allows the program to be offered to all athletes free of charge.
This financial support means that Randy can focus on the athletes and program developments rather than fundraising. It also removes the financial barriers so all athletes can enjoy the game.
For more information on Challenger Baseball programs, please visit www.challengerbaseball.ca
