Challenger baseball a home run in Valencia County

BOSQUE FARMS—Baseball is a challenging sport but there may be nothing quite like playing in the Little League Challenger Division, which is making its Valencia County debut this season.

It’s a good bet that Challenger leads the league in smiles per plate appearance. It’s easy to see during a visit to a game at Yucca Little League in Bosque Farms.

“Just seeing the kids and how happy they are, and the smiles — it’s contagious,” said Joseph Moya, of Peralta, who coaches his 11-year-old son, Gunner’s team.

Little League Challenger Division is a national adaptive baseball program for boys, girls and adults “with physical and intellectual challenges.” It’s traditional baseball with some adjustments.

“Any challenge that gets thrown at us, we just try to adapt to,” said Ruffilo Sena, who is one of the coaches. “We do what we can to make sure that each kid has the best experience.”

Sena’s nephew, Josh “Bubba” Barela, competes in a wheelchair and isn’t shy when asked if he’s a good hitter.

“Yeah. I hit a home run. A dinger,” Barela said.

Joey Timmons, Yucca Little League president, said this is the first year for Challenger in District 9, which includes all of Valencia County and parts of Bernalillo County. The Yucca team is one of only five in New Mexico, with four in Rio Rancho.

“This gives them the opportunity to play the game without the parents and kids feeling like all eyes are on them — without the pressures of making a mistake,” Timmons said.

Spreading the word about Challenger was the most difficult part when getting started, Timmons recalled. Only 10 players are taking part this season, but doubling participation for next year is the goal.

When Moya received a flier that was sent home with Gunner from Bosque Farms Elementary School, he was “super excited.”

For some reason, Gunner has always been drawn to baseball.

“He hasn’t had any opportunity like this for his special needs,” Moya said. “He can’t turn off baseball now. We have extra sets of baseball outfits he can wear at home because he’s so hooked on it. He loves it.”

Perhaps like the movie, Gunner and his teammates now have a league of their own.

“It gives him the feeling of being part of a team,” his father said.

Enjoying the comradery on picture night were 5-year-old Isaiah Arviso, his mother, Shannon Yazzie, of Los Lunas and grandmother, Helena Burbank.

“I love to see him here and just watch him play,” Burbank said gleefully.

“I like the inclusion,” explained Yazzie. “I like him being able to participate and be physically active. He’s nonverbal but he knows the word ‘ball.’ Every time he sees the field he says, ‘ball, ball, ball,’ so he gets pretty excited about it.”

So, it seems, do the other members of his team.

With his voice building in excitement, Gauge Moya, no relation to Gunner, says, “I play catch. I hit the ball. I love baseball. I watch ‘The Sandlot,’” referring to another popular baseball movie.

The adults believe the experience of Challenger is a benefit to all involved around Yucca Little League.

“It’s been positive not only for these kids but for our other teams,” Timmons believes. “It teaches them respect.”

Parents pitched the idea of the Challenger Division to Timmons, who, according to Sena, welcomed it with open arms.

“He jumped into it. The community was all for it. That, to me, is what brought a smile to my eyes and filled my heart.”

“As a community, we should offer this to our children who have special needs,” Yazzie adds.

Perhaps summing it up for his teammates, 7-year-old Wyatt Padilla proudly announces, “I’m a baseball player.”