This is a true story about how a young man with special needs has shown a baseball team what it truly means to love and enjoy the game of baseball; that the game is about having fun and being around friends more than wins and losses.
When I was first named the head baseball coach at Monacan High School, among the many things that I considered top-priority was the challenge for the players in the program to recognize their good fortune and in the process of recognizing that they are incredibly fortunate, find a way to give back to the community.
Prior to becoming Monacan’s head coach, I had taught and coached JV baseball in the Hanover County School system and had implemented a day of practice a few times during the season where we invited the special needs students out to the baseball field and we played tee – ball and kick – ball with them. That was a huge hit with the players and students and I really wanted our team’s community service to reflect that. With that in mind, I sought out a venue that would provide a feeling of pride in helping others for our team.
What better venue for us than The Miracle League. I contacted the director, Karen Pusey, and arranged to have our varsity team become Buddies for the players at the Miracle League. Since, we have had a Team Day at the Miracle League in Chesterfield County every year and it has grown into a very popular team event, with players becoming very involved in the planning and making sure that we go at least once. Monacan players have become attached to the different players and there is genuine compassion and happiness felt being there with the Miracle League players.
One young man in particular, Noah Smith, has become a part of our Monacan baseball family. The players first noticed Noah a year or two ago when he showed off his hitting skills, launching a legitimate home run in one of the games. It didn’t take long for Noah to become a team favorite, not for his baseball ability, although he does possess that, rather for his engaging personality, his curiosity, his sincere desire to be around people and most of all, his good-nature.
Last year, at our annual Team Day, after pairing up with their buddies for the first game, many of my players asked about Noah and after checking, I assured them that he would be there for the 2nd game. There were a few good – natured arguments about who would be paired up with Noah. It really didn’t matter who it was, Noah would engage with everyone there.
I’m always proud of my players when I watch them interact with the Miracle League players. Not for their physical skills or their interaction with the players and each other; rather for their humanity and the compassion that they have learned for other people who are less fortunate.
After the games that day, I pointed out to the players that the way that most of the players played that day, especially Noah is the way the game is meant to be played. It’s meant to be fun, to be played with a smile on your face, with enthusiasm, and with love.
I was approached by several players after our Team Day and they asked about Noah and a few of them asked if he would be able to come to one of our games. I reached out to Karen and Noah’s mom and asked if he would be willing to come to a game and run our scoreboard or something along those lines. Noah’s mother said that he would be thrilled to come out and we made the arrangements. Not knowing how he would respond to being a little out of his element, I was not prepared for how things would go. I was a little concerned that he would feel uncomfortable. I should’ve known that Noah would be just fine.
Noah showed up at a practice and our managers showed him the ins and outs of running the scoreboard. After a while, Noah wandered out to the field and he was absolutely mobbed by the team. Noah quickly immersed himself into practice and never looked back. I realized that the scoreboard wasn’t where Noah was going to be, Noah was going to be with his new teammates in the dugout and on the field. During that first practice, Noah participated in batting practice and even gave coaching a try by dispensing some hitting advice to a few of the players who were struggling a little bit that day.
After that practice, Noah’s mother graciously agreed to bring him to our game the following day which we won. Being more than a little superstitious, the team promptly let Noah know that he would have to be at the next game. Noah was everywhere, picking up bats, helmets, giving encouragement and high-fives, motivational speeches and post-game break-downs. A little aggressive, he was already taking a players bat back to the dugout before he had even hit. After that got sorted out, he was a constant source of energy and amusement. He began coming to practice, pre-game batting practice, and was present at our play-off game that we won on a walk-off grand slam. As excited as the team was, Noah was right there with them, you can see him there in the pictures serving as a reminder of why we play this game. It’s fun and it’s fun to be out there with your friends. Sometimes we, coaches and players alike, need to be reminded of just that.
My players and I have met many amazing kids and parents through the Miracle League. We have developed a relationship with Noah because of the Miracle League. My players may have met Noah because he is a young man with special needs but we love having him around because he is a baseball player and a genuine, sincere,pure, good person and he’s a lot of fun to have around.
And he brought us a lot of good luck.
Thanks Noah. Thank you for everything that you’ve done for us and I hope that we have the privilege of having you with us for as long as you want. Our team needs baseball players like you.
Gerald Mann
Social Studies Department Chesterfield Community High School
Head Baseball Coach Monacan High School