In the Eden Prairie Miracle League, belonging is the name of the game

It was a warm Monday evening when Eden Prairie High School graduate Christoper Rogers stepped up to the plate. The Class of 2025 grad — and soon to be TASSEL Transition student — had already hit once for the night, but this was the last inning of the final game of the season, and he might not be up to bat again until next summer. He stood at home base looking out over the field filled with fellow players. Behind Christopher, in the stands, were dozens of cheering spectators who had come to see one more game of the Eden Prairie Miracle League.

Founded in 2016, the Eden Prairie Miracle League is a 501c3 charitable organization that gives young people with special needs the opportunity to play on a baseball team, regardless of ability. Based at Flying Cloud Fields, the Miracle League plays on a specialized baseball field designed with a completely cushioned, flat surface. Prioritizing accessibility, the dugouts open right onto the field, with no stairs, so mobility devices can move in and out of them freely. Games are two innings long. Each player bats each inning, scores each inning, is safe on the bases and plays a position. That August night, many of the positions were being played by TASSEL Transition Program students and alumni.

TASSEL student Sam Stoffer, who was playing infield that night, was excited to have had another season in the Miracle League. “It’s really fun getting to know people on the team and see if there are any new faces,” he said. Sam’s mom Kelly was watching the game from behind third base. For her, one of the best things was seeing “the camaraderie of the players and the students that help them.” Each player was paired with a “buddy,” an able-bodied peer or adult volunteer (often an Eden Prairie High School or Central Middle School student), who could help as needed and cheer their player on. One of Sam’s buddies was soon-to-be 12th grader Matthew Leidel.

“You build a connection [with the players] over time,” Matthew said. Volunteering through the Young Men’s Service League, Matthew was excited for each player who came to the plate or played alongside him on the field. Of all the volunteering he did with the Service League, this was his favorite opportunity. “This lightens [the players’] mood for the rest of the day.”

Smiles were everywhere: Players scored runs on crafty hits, family members watched from the sidelines, and some special guests —staff members from the TASSEL program who’d come to see their students play — couldn’t keep the grins off their faces. Joanne Peterson Mbagwu, a coordinator for TASSEL, was there for her fourth game of that season. She’d been attending games for years. “Traditionally, there haven’t been social outlets outside of high school [for these students],” she said. Players getting to socialize with peers from both EPHS and TASSEL was just one of the great parts of the league. For Henry Whittemore, a former TASSEL student, getting to see his classmates outside of the school environment made him “excited and joyful.” He’d been playing in the league for a long time, and his mom, Lynda Whittemore, was one of the coaches. “My favorite moment is seeing a smile on a player’s face when they cross home plate,” she said, “but also seeing them grow.”

Plenty of players were crossing home plate, but no one did so more excitedly than Christopher. As he took his turn at bat, it wasn’t long before he launched a flying shot into left field that went over the fence for a big, beautiful home run. The crowd went wild. Players, coaches and buddies alike ran onto the field to cheer on Christopher as he rounded the bases. His friend Maya, another incoming TASSEL student, beamed at home plate, waiting for him to score his run. Christopher’s buddy met them there with a giant hug. This was the inclusion that Julie Campanelli, Supervisor of Special Services, loved to see.

Campanelli had been to several games that season and was happy to be there for the last one of the summer. “A big part of all of our work is making sure that kids can access [anything], be it school, be it activities, be it different types of social situations…. A big part of that is belonging and inclusion, and when I think about where we do it ‘right’ and ‘well,’ this is a perfect example of ‘right’ and ‘well.’” 

Though the Miracle League operates outside of Eden Prairie Schools, it’s the support from staff attending games, TASSEL students meeting one another on the field and the community built around a baseball team that holds so much meaning. “To me,” Julie said, “when I see our students out there having fun and having the ability to do the things that all of our students should be able to do, and we’re making that accessible to them, that just warms my heart, because that’s how it should be everywhere.”

Interested in joining the Miracle League as a player or volunteer? Visit https://www.epbaseball.com/program/miracle-league/18055.