Under the wide blue skies at the Woodbury Rotary Miracle Field, something special happens every time the East Metro Miracle League takes the field. Here, baseball is more than a game, it is a place where athletes of all abilities step up to the plate, round the bases and are cheered on for every swing, smile and moment of triumph.
Every summer, students from Stillwater and the surrounding East Metro area take to the field with a shared purpose that goes far beyond the game itself. These baseball teams embody the true spirit of inclusion, creating meaningful opportunities for individuals of all abilities to participate, compete and belong. For these athletes, the joy of baseball is not just about the hits and runs, it is about community, confidence and the chance to be part of something bigger.
On Aug. 6, members of TRUST Club and the Unified Cheer squad arrived at the field with posters and pom poms. They cheered on their friends and showed their continued commitment to inclusion goes far beyond the school hallways.
Junior Sawyer Johnson attended that game. “I learned about it through TRUST Club. They sent out a text message to us to come and watch the game and we had a really good time watching the game,” Johnson said.
The Miracle field is a specially designed field for players with cognitive and or physical challenges. Some of the players are in wheelchairs and the turf is designed for easy mobility for those players. Players, along with their “Ball buddies,” can easily round the bases after they hit off a tee or a pitched ball. As they run or roll for home plate, the cheers from the fans ring out.
Freshman Penelope Widholm loved playing on Miracle League when she lived in Madison, Wis. and was very excited when she moved here to find a league in Woodbury. “I like running the bases best,” Widholm said.
With TRUST Club always looking for more chances to spend time with their friends, Miracle league is a great opportunity during the summer months. Senior Zola Tuccitto was at the game last summer. “It’s almost like a branch of TRUST Club outside of school and just more opportunity to build connections and create lifelong friendships,” Tuccitto said. “It was really fun to see my friends outside of the school environment and not only cheering for people on our team, but cheering for people on the other team too, It was really fun.”
Since a young age, senior Lyla Polehna has been involved and dedicated to inclusion. “It’s a really inclusive environment outside of school and I think it creates a good community and a sense of belonging for everybody. It makes parents happy to see that their kids are being cheered for and supported,” Polehna said.
The smile on their faces when they connect with the ball and send it rolling into the field is impossible to ignore. It spreads quickly, first to teammates, then to coaches and soon to every parent and spectator gathered along the sidelines. In that moment, it’s more than just a hit, it is a triumph. You can see it in the way they stand a little taller or roll a little faster as they round the bases, hear it in the cheers that erupt from the crowd and feel it in the shared joy that fills the air.
“I think more people should start coming to games and programs like the Miracle League,” Johnson said.
