Field of Dreams

Our own "Field of Dreams"
Adapted T-Ball Begins - 1998


That first season was so magical! 
 We had about 64 children sign up from ages 5 to 22, and created 8 teams. 
We called our beautiful grass area at Westmore Elementary School our “Field of Dreams.” 

Helping Joshua run to his base!

As Joshua’s Mom, I was always looking for ways Joshua could participate in “normal” activities. When we moved to the Salt Lake area, he was old enough for sports.  Since he loved running, throwing, and he loved balls, t-ball seemed just the thing.  Miraculously, there was an adapted t-ball in Salt Lake City which I eagerly signed him up for.  This was a special league of player with disabilities from throughout the valley, and we had a great time.  Joshua did have to be watched particularly close, since he often could be seen running straight out to Centerfield, toward the street! The coaches were kind, loving and patient with him.  

Jumping to Uncle Mark while playing outfield!

In 1995 we moved to Utah County.  Shortly after our move I started looking for adapted leagues in our new area but could not find any.  I started contacting various sports directors in cities throughout Utah County to ask if they would consider beginning an adapted t-ball league.  Working part-time, and raising 5 children at this time, didn’t always give me the time to do this, but finally I got a yes!!  Mark Lindsay, director at Orem Recreation, asked me to come in to his office and give a presentation.  I quickly organized some pictures and information from the Salt Lake City league and met with Mark.

Giving Joshua a high-five when he reaches home plate

We had a great first meeting!  Under Mark’s leadership and expertise, the first adapted t-ball league of Utah County was organized in May of 1998!

That first season was so magical!  We had about 64 children sign up from ages 5 to 22, and created 8 teams.  We called our beautiful grass area at Westmore Elementary School our “Field of Dreams.”  I was honored to the coach of Joshua’s team and loved every single minute!!  The players had various disabilities , various levels of playing, various attention spans and beautiful faces!!  

Joy and love overflowed in abundance every Saturday at our Field of Dreams.

I loved every minute of my 8 years as the Adapted T-Ball Coach for Orem Recreation.

Joshua's 1st TBall Trophy - 1998

Deseret News Article
"A big homerun from the heart"

By Sharon M. Haddock, Staff Writer

Published: Tuesday, June 30 1998 12:00 a.m. MDT

The pitcher tagged the runner, but the player made it to first base anyway, grinning all the way.

The girl racing to third base overshot the mark and inadvertently made it to home plate, passing up her teammate standing resolutely on third.But that's all right. Nobody minds.

In fact, what's important at the T-ball games for the Orem Handicapped Youth League isn't a rule or a score.

It's love and kindness and joy.

You can see it in the faces all over the field. The coaches, planted strategically at every base and critical points in between, are as thrilled as the players when a smacked ball flies over the right fielder's head. They're more than happy when a player on the opposing team makes a nice play that theoretically puts one of their players out.

The parents are exultant as kids who rarely get an opportunity to succeed make a home run.

The players are just plain having fun.

"It's so much fun, now we're going for a soccer and a basketball league," said Selma Eisenstat.
Eisenstat is the parental force behind the creation of the handicapped T-ball league. She mentioned the idea to Orem recreation wellness manager Mark Lindsay last fall because she wanted her son, Joshua, to have a place to play.

"In Salt Lake, we usually had 30 in the league," Eisenstat said.

"Here, we've had more kids than we thought we would. We're up to 68 kids and eight teams."

The league plays every Saturday morning at Westmore Elementary between 9 and 11 a.m. on two fields. Players are between the ages of 5 and 18.

They pay $25 to register. That covers the cost of providing staff and equipment, T-shirts, team pictures and a 5-inch individual trophy for participation.

Some are physically handicapped. One uses a walker to run the bases. Others, like Eisenstat's son, are autistic or hyperactive. All of them need the emotional and physical outlet the games provide.

"We don't let them strike out," Eisenstat said. "We don't keep score."

Eisenstat said the kids really seem to be enjoying the entire exercise.

"One kid picked me up when he made the base," she said. "It's very inspirational, a lot of hugs and high-fives."

"I just want it to keep going."

Lindsay says the success of the program's first year will very probably lead to the initiation of other programs.

"There's nothing like this in Utah County," he said. "We've had a handicapped child in the regular teams but not a strictly adapted handicapped program."

Lindsay said the response to the program has surprised him.

"To be honest, I didn't know what to expect when Selma first approached me about this," Lindsay
said. "We'd never done anything like this."

Memories to last a lifetime!
#fieldofdreams, #oremrecreation