WOODBURY, MN (WNN) – Brighter sun and warmer weather. It’s Baseball Season. Miracle League players, parents and members of the East Metro Miracle League (EMML) plus the Rotary Club of Woodbury are excited to “Play Ball”.
The Miracle League is a national baseball program for youth with physical and/or cognitive challenges.
Players from Woodbury, Lake Elmo, Stillwater, St. Paul, are all part of the EMML. They play baseball for three evenings weekly in summer.
The Woodbury Rotary Miracle Field at the Jeff Hanson Memorial Ballpark is located at M Health Fairview Sports Center.
It is home to the East Metro Miracle League, which had its inaugural baseball season begin with a grand opening celebration on June 7, 2012.
“We have 35 to 170 players ranging from third grade to high school sophomores,” says Rotarian Ruth Watkins, secretary, Rotary Club of Woodbury.
Watkins has supported the program for many years. Ruth worked on the project with her father Bill Reinhardt, has since passed away.
The Miracle Field is a specially-designed field for youth with cognitive and/or physical challenges.
Some of the children playing baseball are in wheelchairs. They depend on family members or volunteers who are “Ball Buddies.”
For kids who are in wheelchairs, the ball buddies help them go from base to base.
Located between the Sports Center and the Black Fields near East Ridge High School, The City of Woodbury carved out parking space close by for the Miracle League families.
The City of Woodbury’s Parks and Recreation Department maintains the fields and runs the EMML with the Rotary Club.
Joe Vaughan, Recreation Program Specialist, City of Woodbury, is excited about this program. From its start in 2012, the program has grown to 13 teams, “the most we have ever had!”
He adds that they never turn away a participant, and want the program to grow each year.
In 2022, the participants were split into two age groups: 3-13 years and 14 years and higher.
There are some participants who are in their 20s and have been playing in the league since 2012.
The game rules are simple. Teams play two-inning games once a week on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday.
”We don’t keep scores. There are no playoffs and no winners or losers. No practices are scheduled unless a team requests a practice,” explains Vaughan.
Opening Night is a BIG night!
Teams, their families and volunteers meet for a one-inning game.
On the side, there are carnival games like skee ball, ring toss or race cars. The games have to be adapted for participants in wheelchairs or crutches. The opening night is held inside the M Health Fairview Sports Center.
Shade our players
The growth of this program indicates its popularity and the joy it brings to participants and their families.
For some years now, the Woodbury Rotary Club is raising funds to build a shelter to “shade our players,” says Watkins.
“We plan to create a shade structure of seasonally removable sails over the concrete behind the home plate. Additionally, we want to provide seating and accessible round tables near the current bleachers. We will update signage, identify the field as a special field and recognize Rotary and community donors,” explains Watkins.
Plans include signage with icons to aid communications amongst players.
Watkins hopes that these enhancements are ready by the start of the 2026 season or 2027, at the latest.
So far the Woodbury Rotary has raised about $40,000 out of an estimated $75,000.
The community has been helping in many ways. Tips received from the Beer Tent (hosted by the Woodbury Rotary Club) at the annual Woodbury Days are donated to this project.
They are looking for more donations. Donations to the Woodbury Rotary Community Fund are tax exempt.
NEED VOLUNTEERS FOR OPENING NIGHT
DATE: May 28, 2025
M Health Fairview Sports Center
Time: 5 pm to 8 pm
CLICK HERE: For the volunteer form
