Children can handle challenge

      As spring ushers warm temperatures into the Las Vegas Valley, children throughout the city are gearing up for the start of the Little League baseball season.
      Another group of Little Leaguers are also gearing up for the season. For this group of children, simply playing baseball is an amazing feat.
      The Challenger Division of Little League is open to youth 9 to 18 years old who have a physical or mental disability. That includes children in wheelchairs and those with Down syndrome or mental retardation.
      "The program has grown considerably the past few years," said Bob Fleming, District 2 Little League administrator. "It's just a great way for these kids to get out and be involved with Little League and perform to the best of their ability."
      Fleming said that the Challenger Division began 10 years ago and faced an uphill battle at the time.
      "We use to play out at VoTech High School and their fields were not wheelchair accessible," Fleming recalled. "The kids' wheelchairs could not fit through the gates of the field so we would have to lift them over the fence."
      Since the time of the humble beginnings of the Challenger Division, society has improved conditions for those living with physical disabilities. The teams involved with the Challenger Division play at Jaycee Park off Eastern and St. Louis avenues and include 80 kids from all areas of Las Vegas.
      One of the children involved with the Challenger Division is Roby Hazel. Although he doesn't suffer from a physical disability, Hazel is mentally disabled, which qualifies him to play in the Challenger Division.
      "When he started he really hated the league," said Theresa Hazel, Roby Hazel's mother. "Now he just loves it and has really come to enjoy his time with his teammates."
      Theresa Hazel said kids who live with disabilities have a strong fear of failure which makes them leery of playing sports or taking part in any social activities. But the nature of the Challenger Division lets kids with disabilities put their mind at ease.
      "These kids get out there and play but it's not a competitive game as much as it is a participatory game," Hazel said. "There are no outs and we try and just make sure that kids have fun and have a sense of accomplishment."
      A large part of the Challenger Division is allowing kids to socialize and make new friends. When a child is assigned to a team, they remain on that team for the entirety of their playing career. This builds lasting relationships which Hazel said is important to these special Little Leaguers.
      "The division is more about bonding and creating friendships than it is playing baseball," Hazel said. "They build such a great relationship with each other and it really enriches the lives of these kids. For some of them it is the only social activity they have."
      Hazel, who admits she cries almost every time her son gets a hit, said the league is a real inspiration to those involved and even for spectators that happen by the games.
      "Sometimes you'll see a kid wander by with their parent and they come to watch the game and leave after they realize what it is," Hazel said. "But other times kids watch and I think they get a good feel for what they have and that they should appreciate the fact they don't have a disability. It motivates some of them and in that way the Challenger Division kids really create a bond with the other Little League kids."
      Out of the mutual respect and admiration has come a program in which Challenger Division kids are buddied with regular Little Leaguers who help them through games.
      "For the other kids, it really gives them a solid life lesson and they realize how lucky they are," Fleming said. "Watching these kids can really teach us all a lesson about perseverance and determination no matter what the odds."