Alameda Little League is proud to announce that we are fielding a team in the Challenger Division for 2019. Little League International established the Challenger Division in 1989. The Challenger Division is for boys and girls with mental and physical challenges and more than 300,000 players participate in the Challenger Division worldwide. In the Bay Area, more than 35,000 youth with disabilities have difficulty accessing parks, fields, and team sports. This, coupled with the ever-growing community of those with disabilities commensurate with population growth, and the current rise in autism, led Alameda Little League to establish the Challenger Division for the 2015 season.

Little League International's California District 4 (Alameda Little League is a member) currently has 15 Challenger Division leagues with whom we may have inter-district games. The Alameda site is Estuary Park. A newer facility featuring easy access and a synthetic playfield.

On Sunday, April 28th, District 4 will be holding its annual Challenger Baseball Jamboree.  This year, the Jamboree will feature 26 Challenger-division teams, including players who have mental, emotional, or physical challenges.  This year once again, the Jamboree will include games for "Senior Division Challenger" for older players, Majors Play in a competitive "real baseball" experience, and regular Challenger games. 

This is one of the largest Challenger Baseball Jamborees in all of Little League Baseball, most certainly in the Western Region, and will include teams from as far away as Nevada. 

Games will be held at Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek starting at 9:00 am in the morning, with the event ending by 3:00.  The district is asking for our support in recruiting umpires.  An umpire's participation on the field in these fun and emotional games is a big addition to the event, and one the players will recognize and support.  

All you have to do is show up in your umpire uniform, go on the field, and be an active participant.  The key to Challenger Baseball is to HAVE FUN and that is what you will have.  No one will be questioning your calls and you will enjoy the day.  A typical Challenger game lasts only a few innings, and all players bat and play in the field.  The umpires in these games will take their normal positions, and will not be making the usual calls but will be part of the on-field support for the players.  Our Challenger teams really appreciate having fully uniformed umpires in their games, and it helps to "make it real" and adds to the fun. 

Umpires who work the Majors Challenger Games will be expected to actually umpire the game, applying most of the regular rules making out and safe calls, etc.

Umpires who plan to come for the first games at 9:00 am should arrive no later than 8:30 am.  There will be a "California District 4 Umpire Association" table where they should check in for assignment to their field.  Everyone is welcome - Junior Umpires, Adult Umpires, experienced umpires, new umpires, others who just want to help out with the day.  They usually also have game booths at the park that need someone to attend to them, for example.  All that is asked is that you come in uniform; we have plenty of blue umpire shirts in the back of the shed by the major and minor fields.  

This is also a good way for younger umpires to earn school volunteer service hours.  Come for part of the day or the whole day.  Lunch is provided to all volunteers.  The schedule (subject to change) is as follows:

12:30 - 2:00    Baseball games (fields 3,4,5,6)

If interested, please RSVP directly to our district umpire-in-chief, Don Waddell ([email protected]), with a cc: to me ([email protected]).

Thanks! 

Jim Quilici
ALL Director of Umpires

Hi Families,

Below is the 2019 Challenger Home Schedule. Alameda Little League Majors teams will be "buddies" to the Challenger games in Alameda. The "buddy" team helps the Challenger players with their warm-ups and game play.